Harry Potter and the Four Heirs
by Sinyk
Summary: Merlin, not happy with how the future unravelled for the life of Harry Potter, intervenes early to set the course of history back on track. Implied Pairing Only. Smart!Harry Bash!AD Idiot!RW
1. The Mage's Act

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter One - The Mage's Act

"Lad. I need you to wake up now."

He was having a wonderful dream. He had lots of toys, lots to eat, and lots of cuddles like Duddles got from Auntie 'Toona. Unca Vernon didn't hit him in the head, either. He liked his dream.

"Yes, lad; it's a nice dream. But I need you to wake up now."

The man's voice was making his dream go away. He tried to make the man's voice go away by con'trating really, really hard. He wanted his dream to come back.

"I'm not going to go away, lad. I'm not in your dream. You need to open your eyes."

Opening his eyes meant waking up in his cupboard. Waking up meant feeling hungry and sore from the last time Unca Vernon hit him. Waking up meant getting sore hands from pulling weeds from Auntie 'Toona's garden. Unca Vernon made his head hurt; and the weeds made his hands sting.

"I promise you lad; that will never happen again. Open your eyes and you will see."

The man sounded nice enough. It sounded like Unca Vernon's voice when he was talking to Duddles; not like it sounded when Unca Vernon was talking to him. Maybe he could have a quick peek and, if he didn't like it, he could close his eyes and go back to his dream.

"That sounds like a good idea, lad. Let's try that then."

He still didn't know if he should open his eyes; but, he knew he felt different. He felt as if he was lying on his back on a really soft pillow. But his bed wasn't a soft pillow. His bed was an old, dog-smelly thing Auntie Marge threw at him. It was lumpy. Not what he felt he was lying on now. Maybe he should open his eyes to see what it was.

"That's a very good idea. Do that."

He'd do it then.

Opening his eyes the small boy expected to see the bottom of the stairs above him. What he saw, much further away, was a roof made of rocks stuck together.

He started to look around. He was on a big bed. And it had red curtains around it! And the curtains were held up by big wooden poles! Wow!

He looked around some more. Beyond the opened curtains on each side of the bed he could see walls. The walls were made of stone just like the roof. And there were some little fires on the top of big sticks stuck to the walls. At least they looked like big sticks, he thought, frowning.

Fire was bad unless it was in the fireplace. He knew he was not allowed to play with fire. Duddles played with it and burnt the rug; and he got hit lots for it (even though it was Duddles who did it). He was only 'little' but knew it wasn't fair that Unca Vernon hit him instead of Duddles.

"I put the fires there, lad. And they're called 'torches', by the way."

There was that voice again. It was coming from down where his feet were pointing.

The boy, a child barely beyond toddler stage, sat up to look where the voice was coming from. It was coming from past the foot of his bed.

There was a man standing there. He could see him through the open curtains at the foot of the big bed he was on. At least he thought it was a man. He had a funny dressing gown on.

"I see you're awake now, lad," said the man.

The boy tried to see what the man looked like. He knew he had to be really, really old because he had a white beard and white hair. He scrunched his face up trying to see him properly.

"Who are you, sir?" asked the boy.

He had to call all man-adults 'Sir' and lady-adults 'Ma'am', unless they were Unca Vernon, Auntie 'Toona or Auntie Marge. If he didn't, Unca Vernon would hit him lots.

"You can call me 'Sir', if you like," the man said while walking around the bed to stand alongside where the boy was sitting.

The boy was glad the man came closer. It made him easier to see.

"I'm Freak!" said the small boy, beaming proudly.

The old man's eyebrows shot up on hearing that. "And what makes you say that?"

The boy scrunched his face up wondering if the man was upset with him. "That's what Auntie 'Toona calls me," he moped. But suddenly brightly said, "But Unca Vernon calls me 'Boy'."

The old man gazed down at him for a while. The boy hoped he hadn't said anything to upset him. He didn't want Unca Vernon to hit him again because he upset the old man. Whatever the old man was thinking he suddenly didn't look like he was upset anymore.

"Lad. You are not a freak; and I will not call you 'Boy'," the old man said kindly. "Neither of those two words are your name."

"Oh," the boy sadly said. If 'Freak' and 'Boy' weren't his name he wondered what was. He wondered if it was 'Lad'.

"How about you come with me, lad," the old man said, reaching to help the boy off the bed. "And I'll tell you all about your name and who you are."

The boy started to get off the bed but then hesitated. "Are you 'a strange man'?" he asked.

Hesitating, the old man asked, "What makes you ask that?"

"Unca Vernon said that, if a strange man should come up to me and tell or ask me to go with them, then I should."

The boy saw that what he said seemed to make the old man get angry again. It frightened him. But the old man was only angry for a very short time before the angry face went away again.

Meekly, the boy said, "I'm sorry if I said something that made you angry, Sir."

"That's quite alright, lad," the old man replied, finishing helping the young boy off the bed. "I just didn't like that your Uncle Vernon said that to you."

Leading the small boy over to a chest of drawers against one of the walls he said, "Now - to answer your question - I guess I am 'a strange man'. I've been called much worse."

Kneeling, the old man opened a drawer and began to remove clothing fit for a boy of his young charge's stature.

"First, though, I'm going to get you out of those rags you're wearing and into something much nicer," he said. "Then we're going to go and have some breakfast."

"Me, too?" the young boy asked while the old man was helping him change.

"Yes. You, too."

The boy had been even more mistreated than he believed, the old man thought. He should have taken him earlier.

The boy brightly asked, "After, are you taking me back to Auntie 'Toona's and Unca Vernon's? Auntie 'Toona's going to want me to help with breakfast."

Pausing in finishing dressing his young charge, the old man said, "No, lad. You'll be living here now. And you won't have to help with anything like that."

"Okay," the young boy said. If he was going to live 'here' now - and he didn't have to help with breakfast, lunch or dinner - he wondered what other chores he'd be doing.

"Will I still be pulling weeds?" he asked.

"No, lad," the old man kindly replied. "You'll be spending a lot of your time learning and playing. And, the more you learn, the more you'll get to play."

The young boy's eyes lit up hearing that.

"Wow!" he said. "With toys and everything?"

"Yes," the old man replied with a smile. "With toys and everything."

The young tyke was really excited. He was going to like living here. It sounded much nicer than living with his Aunt and Uncle.

The boy asked eagerly, "Can we start after breakfast?"

Standing back up the old man took the young boy's hand.

Leading him towards the door he said, "Well, we can start learning some things now. And even while we're eating breakfast."

"Wow!" said the boy excitedly.

"For a start," said the old man as he led the young boy out the door, "My name is Myrrdin Emrys and I'm going to help you do something very important when you get older.

"And your name is Harry James Potter. Today is your birthday. As of today you are now four years old. Happy Birthday."

# # #

In his office at Hogwarts, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was sitting up late doing parchment work. He noticed the monitoring ward he had upon the Dursley home had triggered for only a moment. Frowning, he watched to see if it triggered again.

When nothing happened after a minute he guessed it must have only been an anomaly. Such occurrences were rare but, with the fate of the wizarding world on the line, he wasn't prepared to take chances.

He'd approach the house under a disillusionment charm tomorrow to ensure the boy was exactly where he was supposed to be.

It hadn't even dawned on him that today was the boy's birthday.

# # #

Within a few days of collecting Harry from the Dursleys, Myrrdin began to explain what Harry was going to do when he grew older.

In terms the small child could understand, he explained about the magical school known as Hogwarts and how the small castle - keep, really - they were currently living within, was somewhat similar. He told stories about the four founders and made little dolls of each of them, keeping the boy spellbound for hours. He explained what an heir was and he explained how Harry was going to bring the four heirs of the founders together. And, together, they began to watch history on what the old man called a 'time viewer'. And told the lad what sort of boy he was going to grow into. At least, what sort of boy Harry would have grown into had he not removed him from the timeline.

Myrrdin knew he would be years mentoring this child, but he also knew the future of the world hinged on his young charge.

The old man had prepared for his role very carefully. And he would prepare young Harry James Potter just as carefully.

# # #

"I'm not happy hearing this, Myrrdin!" Harry stated angrily.

In the few years Harry had been with the old man, this was the angriest the old druidic mage had ever seen him. And it was the first time the young boy had ever spoken to him using his name.

"He volunteered, lad," the old man calmly answered. "And with his magics he can protect himself far better than you could have done for yourself if I left you in the same situation."

"That's not the point, Sir," snapped Harry. "He's a living sentient being! No one deserves that treatment! Not even the lowliest of non-sentient creatures!"

Myrrdin, or Merlin as he was otherwise known, knew this was going to be a touchy matter with his young student. But, when Harry began to understand he had somehow been replaced within the **Dursley** household to occlude knowledge from Dumbledore as to his absence, the old man thought it best to begin the discussion while they were having a spot of tea between study subjects. He did not expect Harry to be quite so... incensed... as to jump out of his armchair in the near rage he was obviously feeling. He realised what would have happened had he waited until Harry was older and his magical core was more powerful.

"Harry, I'm very proud of you that you feel that way," said Myrrdin. "But I gave Dobby the opportunity to see what you did for him, or would have done for him, in May 1993. Plus for a few years after that.

"He knows you would have freed him, he knows you treated him as a friend, and he knows you love him, or will love him, even if you've not yet met. Please, trust me when I tell you the abuse he would have suffered within the Malfoy household is much worse than this."

"I _understand_ why you did it, Sir," fumed Harry, pacing back and forth. "I _understand_ that you used a very strong Polyjuice Potion to change him into me and that you'll continue to provide him the Potion until we switch back. I _understand_ that you trained him in what were my mannerisms and speech of the time, and what they would become through to my staying overnight at the Leaky Cauldron the night before the Hogwarts train. I _understand_ he'll be able to use the Polyjuice Potion antidote once we swap back. And I _understand_ all this is necessary to prevent Albus _Flippin'_ Dumbledore from discovering I'm missing."

Leaning forward, Myrrdin said, "You haven't thought it all the way through yet, lad. What it means for Dobby to be able to carry out his role."

Harry stopped and glared at his teacher. But the old man could see the boy before him was thinking furiously about the situation. He knew Harry was calm enough to understand he was trying to teach him something. Or, at least, trying to get Harry to figure it out for himself.

After a few moments Harry gave a quick shake of his head and said, "No, I don't see it. Explain, please."

Instead of answering straight back, Myrrdin asked instead, "How are house elves bonded, Harry? And what are the requirements associated with that?"

Harry thought about it for a moment before answering, "House elves are bonded to an individual master or mistress, to a house, or..."

As Harry paused looking off into the distance, the old man saw the boy had begun to understand.

"Elves are bonded, and required through that bond, to come when summoned without hesitation," said Harry calming down while thinking hard. "That means, if Dobby was... is... still bonded to the Malfoys, he would have to immediately pop back to Malfoy Manor when summoned."

"Yes. So...," the old man encouraged.

"So, the idea of Dobby impersonating me would collapse the first time he was summoned as the Malfoys would see him in his Polyjuiced form...," said Harry, calmer now. "And, also collapse the first time it happened in front of anyone back with the Dursleys."

"So, the only possible explanation would mean...," prompted the old man.

"That Dobby's no longer bonded to the Malfoys!" replied Harry with wonder.

"Correct, lad!" beamed Myrrdin. "I removed the bond when I brought him here."

"So, he's bonded to you now?" asked Harry.

"No, Dobby is now already a free elf," replied Myrrdin. "I freed him nine years before you would have done so, after the incident with the Chamber of Secrets."

Harry thought about that for a few moments before saying, "So, when you said Dobby volunteered to take my place, he did it when he was a free elf. It was solely his decision. He really did volunteer!"

"Correct," said the old man smiling.

"But, wouldn't the Malfoys have noticed he was missing the first time he was summoned?" asked Harry. "Wouldn't that have indicated something was up?"

"No, lad," the old man replied. "The current wizarding world believes a bond can only be broken by the master or mistress giving the elf at least one item of clothing, by the transference of bond from one master to another freely given, by blood or magical inheritance, or by the death of the elf concerned.

"The Malfoys know the first three did not occur, so only the fourth - Dobby's death - was possible. As far as they know, Dobby was either killed or succumbed to some unknown elfish malady somewhere of which they're unaware. Such a thing happens from time to time. I encouraged that by placing the suggestion of such an event in their minds while they slept the night of the first time they tried to summon him."

Harry resumed his seat in the armchair and slumped forward before stating very quietly, "I owe that... we owe that... little elf more than we can ever repay."

"And I'm sure you and I are going to make every attempt at just that impossible feat after you return."

Then, leaning back, Myrrdin asked, "Now, shall we get back to our tea? Though, I think we need a new pot."

# # #

Sitting on the window sill of their combination study room / laboratory / library, Harry said, "Sir, I understand the concepts well enough. Through your magics and mastery of the knowledge of space and time you've created a piece of reality... space... outside of normal reality as the rest of us understand it. And, through your mastery of time, within that space you're able to manipulate time."

Harry had now been a student under Myrrdin's tutelage for what felt like a decade. But he did not really know because there did not seem to be any seasons other than Spring around their keep.

"Yes, you've got it so far. Keep going...," Myrrdin said, sitting at his desk.

"You're actually alive in the year 115 AD when you set all this...," said Harry, waving his hand about distractedly, "...up. And I'm alive in 1984 AD. At least, that was the year in which you pulled me out to join you here."

"Correct," the old man responded. "What else?"

"By creating this... pocket reality...," continued Harry pausing for a moment.

Interrupting, the old man said, "Pocket reality. I like that. It's a good name for it."

"...Pocket reality," continued Harry, "you've created an environment where we can both exist and you can teach me without causing a time paradox in... normal... reality."

"Correct. And what appears to be bothering you about this?"

"How does the paradox not occur when we drop out of the pocket reality back into normal reality?"

"Ah!" said the old man, light dawning. "I can return back to my own time in normal reality pretty much any time after I left. I'm far enough isolated in my little abode I rarely interact with anyone, or anything, going on. However, I'm planning on returning to my own time no more than a few seconds after I left, thereby not causing a paradox to a time before; nor upsetting the time continuum. People will not notice any aging effects upon my behaviour or body due to my advanced age; and I already know the role I'm to play.

"As for you, I can send you back to any time after I removed you from the Dursleys. However, I need to put you back into normal reality before the First of July 1991, when you're soon due to receive your letter from Hogwarts."

Harry sat for a little while gathering his thoughts before saying, "So, I've only a couple of years left before I have to go back. Can we get everything done in time?"

The old man grinned. "Think it through, lad. I can go back to my own time frame barely a few seconds after I left. And should, as I've already explained."

Harry nodded focussing on his teacher's words, "So that means time passing in here is irrelevant to time passing in normal reality."

"Correct."

"But what about the effects of aging in here, not just on my wisdom and knowledge, but on my physical and magical self?"

Instead of answering, Myrrdin asked, "You've not noticed you don't seem to be growing in line with children the same age as you in the time viewer?"

Harry shrugged, "I thought I was just small for my age. Probably due to the malnutrition I suffered at the hands of the Dursleys."

"No," replied Myrrdin. "I anticipated in advance it would take many years to impart upon you the knowledge you would need to defeat Riddle and counter Dumbledore's manipulations, and make a good start on restoring balance to the magical realm in Britain. As such I've slowed your aging process."

"I would have thought I'd learn faster if I was older physically, emotionally, spiritually and magically," said Harry.

"Yes, you would. Well done for recognising that," the old man congratulated him. "However, would you really want to go through puberty in here with me?"

Harry visibly shuddered before answering with a grin, "No, no; definitely not."

He had not enjoyed the discussion about human sexuality he received from his mentor. As with all things, his mentor spoke with enthusiasm on the subject, and even used diagrams. He had trouble sleeping for a couple of nights after _that_ particular lesson.

Grinning, the old man paused to ensure Harry had no further questions before continuing, "Now. Shall we look once more upon the matter of the Protean Charm and its relationship with quantum entanglement?"

Harry groaned and dropped his head to his chest.

Myrrdin laughed and said, "Come now, lad. Since you've mastered Occlumency, and your mind is not the untidy clutter it once was, your memory is close enough to perfect to allow total recall at will. We only have to go over this once and ensure you understand, rather than just know it, before we can jump onto the next subject matter."

Knowing how to encourage his young student's eagerness for the subject at hand the old man said, "And after that, perhaps we shall make use of the time viewer for a while. Though, I still don't know why you insist on calling it by the acronym 'teevee'."

Harry sat bolt upright on hearing that with a big grin on his face.

"And, after that, can we work some more on magic?" the boy eagerly asked.

Chuckling, Myrrdin replied, "Of course we can. That's a wonderful idea!"

# # #

Walking into the study Myrrdin saw a much matured Harry sitting in his favourite armchair speed reading a weighty tome. Other books were piled around him, either freshly read or about to be.

Harry now looked to be the eleven year old he would be once he was reinserted into normal space. The only sign of his fifteen years studying and maturing to what would have been nineteen years of age in the pocket reality was his eyes. Someone attuned to his emotional output may be able to sense there was depth to the boy not found in normal eleven year olds, but that was all they would discover.

"What are you reading, Harry?" asked Myrrdin.

"English and Scottish law as it applied circa 1000AD," said Harry not looking up and barely pausing during his rapid flicking through pages.

Marking his page he looked up at the old man and said, "I want to make sure I'm not going to be conned or advised contrary to the law when I smack the Wizengamot down.

"At least we now know the fracture of wizard law from mundane law mainly occurred during the Second World War and parallel Grindelwald War, and later. So, the work of synchronising them again won't be as difficult as we first thought. Most of the most appalling ones are only since Riddle's first run-around in the '70s."

Myrrdin nodded. More and more over the past few years he had left planning on the course of action of the four heirs to Harry. He had given the lad a good grounding in strategy, diplomacy and politics and watched as the boy took the lessons to heart and made his plans. And Harry knew he first needed to get the heirs together before they arrived at Hogwarts.

"Have you given further thought to how you're going to contact the other heirs, lad?"

"I had thought the original plan was sound," the boy responded. "But I think we're going to have to go with 'Operation Nuclear Bang' immediately to bring the heirs and their guardians together. And once we get to Hogwarts we go with 'Operation Baby Steps'.

"Of course, if 'Nuclear Bang' fails then I'm going to have to go with 'Operation Knock Knock' and, if and where necessary, use the Obliviate Charm to prevent Dumbledore discovering what's what. I'm really not going to like doing that.

"If 'Baby Steps' fails we'll go with 'Operation Mailed Fist'. But, of course, that means having to use the memory crystals on the heirs before they go to Hogwarts, which I'd rather not do. However, to have 'Mailed Fist' in place in advance, I'm going to need to use the crystals well before we board the train. I'm not sure if I should do that or not."

It amused Myrrdin how his young charge used modern military terms in his planning. But, he had to hand it to the boy; it made discussing strategy and various options so much easier. Of course, no plan survives first contact. So you need contingency plans for what happens after that event. Or, you'd need a first plan so over-the-top the chance of failure was greatly minimised. This was young Harry's plan.

"As I've said before, but I'll reiterate, lad," said the old man. "The memory crystals are quite safe to use if they're activated when the recipient - or recipients, in this case - are ready for sleep."

Harry sighed, "I know, Sir. But I feel as if it would steal their innocence doing that to them."

"You're a good lad, Harry," said the old man, coming up to put one hand on Harry's shoulder. "That care you have for the welfare of others will stand you in good stead as you work towards all four of your objectives. But, they would all lose their innocence soon enough if you fail."

"I know, Sir," sighed the boy again.

Backing away to sit in his own chair facing Harry, Myrrdin asked, "Have you given much more thought about how you and the other heirs are going to tackle those objectives?"

"Yes, Sir," Harry responded. "As you know, Sir, that'll be launched with 'Operation Queen's Ire' as long as you've managed to ensure each artefact is in its right place..."

Nodding, the old druidic mage said, "That's now been done, and I'll manage them across time to ensure they're where you need them to be, when the time comes."

"Good," said Harry, also nodding. Leaning forward he said, "Then, when the time comes, I plan to..."

# # #


	2. The Prime Minister's Outrage

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

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Chapter Two - The Prime Minister's Outrage

At shortly after 9.00am on Friday, 5th July 1991, Harry popped back into normal reality in amongst the trees of St James Park near the Park Office, hidden from sight from mundanes. A quick check ensured he was wearing the disguise he and Myrrdin had worked out to get him inside 10 Downing Street; a school uniform with a school satchel holding the necessary documents slung from his left shoulder.

He looked around, oriented himself with the direction he needed to go and set off on foot. He did not see a team of wizards suddenly apparate near to the spot he arrived.

Crossing Horse Guards Road he entered Downing Street from the west end and leisurely walked along the footpath towards the doors of Number 10. His timing needed to be exact for this part.

Just as he was within a hundred yards of the door he spied his ticket into Number 10 just ahead. The class of nine and ten year olds from Years 4 and 5 at St Tristan's Primary School were clustered around an already harassed teacher waiting to start their school tour of the Prime Minister's Office, which would begin momentarily. He simply approached the group from the rear and, blending in, cast a Notice-me-Not Charm on himself using a bit of wandless magic. Anyone looking at him would simply see a normal school student but wouldn't notice that no one knew who he was.

The door opened and a young lady stepped out. She gestured to the teacher to follow her and went back inside.

"Alright, then, children. Here we go," the teacher called out over her charges. "Remember. Best behaviour now. The Prime Minister and his staff are very important people and you're not to bother them or get in their way." Then she ushered her young charges in through the door.

This was necessary for Harry to get past the Office's main security checkpoint just inside the door as neither Myrrdin nor he, during their research, could discover whether or not mundane security systems could detect someone magically obscured. They didn't want to risk that they could.

Once past security Harry simply allowed the group to pull ahead and, with a further piece of wandless magic, altered his Notice-me-Not Charm to a Disillusionment Charm; and changed his appearance to that of a young man wearing a business suit that looked to be right off a dressmaker's dummy at Saville Row. His school satchel now looked like a business satchel.

He headed directly to the Office of the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary. All he had to do was make sure he didn't bump into, or otherwise come into contact with, anyone along the short walk down a couple of corridors.

Passing a small security desk set up at the bottom end of the last corridor, pausing for a second to make it look like he was flashing the man credentials for the security camera, Harry reached his destination. Thankfully, the door with a small wooden plaque that said 'Lady Muriel Columbus, Principal Private Secretary' was already opened wide and he only had to walk in.

The middle aged lady sitting behind the desk frowning down at papers before her matched the lady he'd seen on Myrrdin's time viewer.

'All good, so far,' he thought.

He glanced out the door to ensure he wasn't seen, dropped the Disillusionment Charm while the lady wasn't looking at him and quietly closed the door.

Turning back around Harry noticed the lady still hadn't paid him any attention, so he quietly said, "Excuse me, Ma'am."

On hearing his voice the lady quickly looked up at him, frowned and said, "What are you doing in here, Sir? You're not supposed to be here."

She started to reach for the telephone sitting on her desk.

Before her hand reached it, and looking her straight in the eye, Harry quietly said, "Merlin Yellow, Ma'am."

She froze.

Lady Muriel Columbus was not a lady easily startled, surprised or shocked. She had served her current Prime Minister since the day he had assumed office less than a year ago. She had also served him for nearly the entire time he served in the Ministry as Foreign Secretary, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the previous Government; and knew the Prime Minister thought of her as a trusted advisor.

As his Principal Private Secretary when her Minister assumed his current office, she was briefed on the magical world. A world she would have flatly refused to believe existed if she wasn't provided proof of its existence in the office through the unadorned door behind her and just off to one side. That incontrovertible proof she still found difficult to accept.

The knowledge of that world wasn't so much Classified as it was so... unbelievable. She knew she'd be removed from her posting if she ever spoke about it. People would think she was 'losing it', as her young grandson would say.

But as part of that briefing she was told a set of code words that, when someone spoke one of them to her, would mean there was trouble in that other world; and that the person who spoke them would need to see the Prime Minister. 'Merlin Yellow' meant there was an imminent danger in, or originating with, the magical world, and that the person would need to see the Prime Minister immediately.

In shock, Lady Muriel stared at Harry and said, "Ehhhrrr... what?"

That was not something someone with her impeccable manners was normally wont to do, no matter the surprise.

To be fair, she'd never expected to hear that particular phrase as the magical world took care of matters themselves. They had given no indication trouble was brewing. She thought this may be some form of elaborate prank or a security 'exercise'. People from 'that' place also normally didn't enter through her office door.

"Now, see here, young man!" she said with her sternest voice; the one she normally used with her grandson when he'd done something really bad. "I don't know what you're playing at, but I demand to know who told you to say that to me!"

Harry just stared back at her with an expressionless face and quietly said, "You have the code, Ma'am. Please, carry out your orders."

Lady Muriel could detect no subtle signs on the man that he was being anything but completely straight with her. She could detect no sign of subterfuge about him at all. There was no indication of anything whatsoever other than his piercing green eyes. Eyes that told her this young man was to be taken seriously.

Harry felt the lady's stern gaze upon him for quite a while. Then she suddenly rose from her office chair, turned to the door just off to one side behind her desk, and rapped on it twice.

"Enter!" Harry heard a muffled male voice call from the other side of the door.

Lady Muriel opened the door and stepped just inside.

Harry saw her turn slightly to her right and say, obviously to someone within the room, "Excuse me, Sir."

"Yes? What is it, Muriel?" asked a man's voice.

Hesitating a moment Lady Muriel then quietly said, "Merlin Yellow, Sir."

Clearly the man inside was more properly able to restrain himself from verbal utterances of surprise. And a moment later Harry heard the man say, "Send them in."

Lady Muriel beckoned to Harry, who walked forward and past her into the large office beyond.

Inside, Harry could see he was in the Prime Minister's public office. The man himself was standing over near his desk, clearly having just risen from behind his executive desk to greet his visitor. Harry heard the lady behind him step back out of the office and close the door behind her.

The tall man with short grey hair and large horn-rimmed glasses standing at the other end of the office from him stared at Harry and frowned slightly before quickly replacing his expression with a politician's smile.

"Hello, young man," the man said, continuing to come forward. "I'm Prime Minister Major. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"One moment please, Sir," replied Harry, quickly casting a spell.

The Prime Minister saw the young man suddenly reach outwards away from his body with his right hand and make a few slight intricate motions. Suddenly there was a slight noise behind him.

Spinning around to see what it was the Prime Minister saw that a little trinket on his desk seemed to be dancing a little jig, before it suddenly flashed with a small bright orange light and fell over on its side.

Turning back to the young man that had walked into his office, the Prime Minister asked, "What was that?"

Smiling and stepping forward, Harry replied, "I just cast a small charm spell designed to detect, and then destroy, any magical item enspelled to act as... what you might call a... 'listening bug'. We will now not be overheard by anyone by magical means."

Listening to what Harry said the Prime Minister lost his politician's smile. It didn't take a Legilimens to see the Prime Minister was not happy about what Harry had just said.

"You mean to tell me," said the Prime Minister in a low voice, "That... that _thing_ was being used by someone to listen in on anything said in this room?"

"Yes, Sir," said Harry. "If I may ask, Sir; who gave it to you?"

Frowning and thinking back the Prime Minister angrily said, "That peculiar man in the green bowler who called himself Minister of Magic."

"That would be Cornelius Fudge, Sir," said Harry. **"He is one of the reasons I'm here."**

"He gave that thing to me as a gift when I first took office," the Prime Minister angrily mused. "I don't know why I kept it, let alone on my desk."

"If I may, Sir?" asked Harry, gesturing towards the trinket.

Frowning at Harry the Prime Minister also gestured and said, "By all means."

Harry walked over to stand before the desk, waved his hand over the now frazzled little trinket, and said, "Ah! It's enspelled with a charm that encourages you to keep it here. Very clever of the man."

Then, after a few other quick hand gestures, said, "The charm's now been removed, Sir. **You can dispose of it whenever you wish."**

While Harry was talking the Prime Minister walked over to the desk to stand beside him and watched what he did.

After Harry finished removing the charm the Prime Minister asked, "Is it safe for me to handle?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "There is no longer any magic associated with it."

The Prime Minister reached over and picked it up. "I think I'll hold on to it," he quietly said. "Minister Fudge and I are going to have a little chat about it."

The Prime Minister walked around his desk, while staring at the object in his hand. Harry could see he was deep in thought.

The pause also gave Harry his opening. "Now, Sir; as to why I am here," he said.

The Prime Minister quickly looked back up at the man before him. "Yes; of course," he replied. "Merlin Yellow, and all that."

"Please, take a seat," he said pointing to one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"Thank you, Sir," said Harry, sitting down. "First, I should at least introduce myself... My name is Harry James Potter and I am the... presumptive... Earl of Slytherin."

The Prime Minister sat bolt upright on hearing that. "Earl of Slytherin, My Lord?" he exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know!"

"No reason you should, Sir," Harry calmly replied.

The Prime Minister then paused to think for a few moments, resettling into his chair and frowning. "I'm sorry for raising this, My Lord; but I've never heard of the Earl of Slytherin before now."

Harry smiled and said, "I'm not surprised in the least, Sir. The title 'Earl of Slytherin' has not been in use for almost one thousand years."

The Prime Minister, again, sat upright in his chair before spluttering, "But!... How?... What?... But that makes no sense! How can you be this... Earl of Slytherin... if the title has not been active for so long? It would be impossible!"

Harry raised his hand in a gesture of calming towards the Prime Minister while smiling towards the somewhat excited man.

Once he was sure the Prime Minister had recovered from his initial shock, Harry said, "Your... concern... was anticipated, Sir."

Harry turned slightly in his seat and gestured over to a painting mounted on the wall above the small office fireplace.

"That painting, Sir," asked Harry. "What do you know about it?"

The Prime Minister frowned at the young man sitting across from him... the young maybe-lord, he thought... wondering about the sudden shift in the conversation to a rather poor work of art.

"What has a shabby painting to do with this?" asked the Prime Minister.

"If you would humour me for a moment, Sir; you will soon discover the answer to your question," responded Harry quite calmly.

The Prime Minister hesitated for a few moments before he answered.

"'Fruit in a Bowl' by an unknown artist," he said. "Nobody can get the damned thing off the wall. My predecessors have tried, I've tried; we've had art historians, carpenters, all sorts of people in here trying to remove it."

Harry just gently smiled as he listened to the Prime Minister grumble about it.

"I tried to convince the maintenance staff here to just remove the whole damned wall atop the fireplace and replace it ," the Prime Minister went on, grumbling. "But, nooo; the building - including all the original walls within it - are protected under the British Heritage Act. And not even the Prime Minister is allowed to do that. Plus, the wall is a 'load bearing' wall and would destabilise the whole facade if it was tampered with."

Gathering himself the Prime Minister asked, "But, what of it, Sir?"

Harry grinned back at the Prime Minister for a moment, turned to look directly at the painting, and called out, "Myrrdin's Fist!"

Suddenly, there was a distinct click sound from the painting and the edge closest to the desk popped off the wall.

Harry then turned back to face the Prime Minister and quietly said, "You'll need to look in there for your answers, Sir."

Astonished, the Prime Minister was beginning to wonder if this well dressed your man was intent on giving him some sort of coronary before his unanticipated meeting was over. He was glad that, during his last visit to his personal physician, the doctor told him his heart was fine (though, he could do with some exercise).

The Prime Minister waited a few moments to make sure he was calm enough before rising, walking around his desk and crossing to the painting.

Grabbing the edge of the painting's frame that had come loose, he pulled. The whole side came away from the wall and swung on hidden hinges on the opposite side.

Behind the painting, he found a small box-shaped cubby-hole. And inside he saw a small stack of what seemed to be old documents with a crystal cube-shaped paperweight on them holding them down.

"You'll want to be very careful with those parchments, Sir," said Harry. "They're very old."

The Prime Minister looked back at Harry for a moment and nodded. He turned back to the cubby-hole, reached in with both hands and gently lifted out the documents in one pile with the cube on top.

'Thank you, Myrrdin!' Harry thought to himself.

Turning, the Prime Minister walked back to and around the desk, and gently placed the documents on his blotter - knocking the dead trinket aside as he did so - before retaking his seat.

"Careful, please, Sir," said Harry. "The space from which you took them had strong protection charms placed on it to drastically slow down the aging process of what was inside. But those documents are still almost one thousand years old."

The Prime Minister had been looking down at the documents, and was just about to move the paperweight out of the way, when Harry said that. But as soon as Harry mentioned how old the documents were his head snapped back up to stare at Harry in shock, yet again.

Harry was still calmly smiling back at him from where he was sitting back and relaxed in his chair on the other side of the desk.

The Prime Minister placed his elbows on his desk blotter either side of the stack of documents, dropped his forehead into his hands and said near plaintively with his eyes closed, "Earl... My Lord... Mister..."

"Call me 'Harry', Sir," Harry calmly interrupted.

Lifting his head to look over his hands, at what he now thought of as the most astonishing young man he'd ever met across the desk from him he said, "Harry, then." And then sighed before asking, "And these documents are?"

"They will inform you about the Earldom of Slytherin, plus three others, and how and why they were established at the beginning of the eleventh century."

The Prime Minister stared at Harry for a few moments before looking down at the documents again.

After a few moments, and carefully moving each top document aside to see the one beneath, he then said, "I do not recognise the writing, or the individual letters. How am I supposed to read them?"

"They're written in Anglo-Saxon runic script. It was the language of the day of kings, scholars and the clergy," replied Harry.

The Prime Minister, recalling his days in High School studying English History, realised the script was, indeed, **Anglo-Saxon script**.

"Well, **I can't read this**... Harry," he said. "But I suppose you have a solution?"

"Of course, Sir," responded Harry, still smiling.

As Harry brought his satchel around in front of himself the Prime Minister sighed, "Why am I not surprised?"

Pausing in what he was doing Harry replied with a grin, "Because you've already had more than enough surprises for one day?" Before returning to opening his satchel and reaching inside.

The Prime Minister only snorted with amusement in response.

Harry then drew from his satchel another sheaf of parchment and, still smiling, handed them over to the Prime Minister.

Taking them from the young man, the Prime Minister placed them on the desk alongside the original stack, gently used both hands to move the original stack off to one side, and then moved the second stack to the blotter in front of himself.

While they still appeared to be parchment, the Prime Minister could also see these were written using modern English lettering and language.

Before the Prime Minister could begin to read the top page Harry spoke up.

"While those documents will provide the evidence of which I spoke, they are not the main reason I am here."

"No?" the Prime Minister looked up and asked.

"No, Sir," said Harry quietly. "I am here to inform you the Minister of Magic, abetted by others, is fomenting sedition against the Crown amongst the people in the wizarding world."

"WHAT?! the Prime Minister near bellowed leaping to his feet.

"Yes, Sir," said Harry calmly. "And he is doing it, while almost literally, pulling the wool over your eyes."

"Explain!" the Prime Minister demanded with narrowing eyes.

"You are being lied to, Sir," said Harry. "And he is using magic to _trick_ you."

"What do you mean?" demanded the Prime Minister.

"I shall demonstrate what I mean, momentarily," replied Harry. "But first, please tell me what you remember of the meetings you have had with Minister Fudge."

The Prime Minister stared furiously at Harry for a moment before seeming to visibly give himself a shake, and resuming his seat.

He thought deeply for a few moments before saying, "I first met him when he came into my office through the fireplace over there," he said gesturing towards the fireplace, "about a week after I assumed office. He nearly gave me a heart attack when he did that. That's when Muriel came dashing into the room.

"He then pulled out of his sleeve what I thought was a stick and waved it about a bit. The door slammed shut and the curtains closed themselves."

"That stick would have been his wand, Sir," interrupted Harry.

The Prime Minster nodded and said, "Then he told me who he was and said to me he was here to brief me on the magical world. I had never heard of such a thing and thought he was a crackpot. I grabbed the phone and tried to call for security but the phone was dead. So, I walked over and tried to open the door but it was locked. I could not even pull the curtains apart when I tried them.

"He then said something along the lines of perhaps a further demonstration was in order. That's when he turned a chair, the one you're sitting in, into an English shepherd. Then he made my desk float up off the floor. He did a few other things, too, before he changed the chair back and let my desk down. He then calmly walked over and sat in the same chair in which you're sitting, and gestured for me to do the same. Once I was sitting behind my desk here he told me all about the wizarding world.

"Then he got up, said he'd see me again soon, and disappeared in a flash of green flame back out the fireplace."

"And the next time he came, Sir?" asked Harry.

"We had a long and fruitful discussion about wizarding matters and he left," replied the Prime Minister.

"And the next time, Sir?" asked Harry.

"We had a long and fruitful discussion about wizarding matters and he left," replied the Prime Minister again.

"And the next time he came, Sir?" asked Harry again.

"We had a long and fruitful discussion about wizarding matters and he left," replied the Prime Minister yet again.

By this time the Prime Minister was beginning to frown at Harry again.

"And the next time, Sir?" asked Harry.

"We had a long and fruitful discussion about wizarding matters and he left," asked the Prime Minister yet again.

"Now, Sir," said Harry, leaning forward to stare intently at the Prime Minister. "With the exception of the first meeting, what did you discuss at any of these meetings?"

The Prime Minister replied still frowning, "We had a long and fruitful discussion about wizarding matters."

"Yes, Sir," said Harry. "But what matters... exactly?"

"I... We...," stumbled the Prime Minister thinking hard. "I don't remember."

"I didn't think so, Mr Prime Minister," said Harry.

The Prime Minister seemed quite confused So Harry gave him a few moments before asking, "Does Lady Muriel maintain for you an appointment schedule?"

"What?" asked the Prime Minister looking up. "Yes, yes, of course she does."

"Would you mind asking her to bring it in here for you?" Harry asked.

"Ummm... Ah!" the Prime Minister said suddenly understanding. "Yes, of course."

The Prime Minister then reached out to his intercom phone and pushed a button on it.

A moment later the voice of Lady Muriel could be heard. "Yes, Mr Prime Minister?"

"Could you come in and bring with you my appointment schedule from... when I took office?"

"Of course, Mr Prime Minister," she said.

A few moments later Lady Muriel walked in carrying a large ledger, approached the desk, and placed it before the Prime Minister. She waited while he opened it and was obviously expecting him to ask her questions about it.

Harry said, "You're a busy man, Sir. See if you can find any time within it, around the time you believed you had these meetings, where you would have had the time to have them."

The Prime Minister then began flicking through it running his finger down the pages as he did so. As he went through the ledger his frown deepened and deepened.

Once he finished he closed the ledger with a snap and placing his hands flat upon it.

"How is this possible... Harry?" he asked.

"Other than the first, I believe the meetings never occurred, Sir," Harry replied. "Instead, I believe he or someone else came in, hit you with an Obliviate spell, and told you that you and the Minister had... 'a long and fruitful discussion about wizarding matters'..., then left before you'd recovered.

"I believe the person, or persons, who did it would have only been in the office no more than about twenty seconds."

Harry then paused while he waited for the Prime Minister to process that bit of shocking information. He could see the Prime Minister was quite livid. And Lady Muriel, still standing alongside the Prime Minister's desk, was no less.

"Is there a way I can know what really happened, for myself?" the Prime Minister nearly growled in asking.

"Yes, Sir," Harry promptly replied. "It's going to require me to perform a counter spell. And I'm going to need to lightly touch you on the forehead when I do."

The Prime Minister, still mightily frowning, thought for a few moments before saying, "Do it!"

Harry calmly rose from his chair, walked around the desk and stopped alongside the Prime Minister, who had watched him come around turning slightly as he did.

"When I do this, Sir," said Harry, "you are going to feel a little dizzy for a few moments as the real memories assert themselves."

The Prime Minister nodded his head and waited.

Harry then made a few little gestures with his right hand, softly called out, "Obliviatus Obscura Revealus!" before tapping the Prime Minister in the middle of his forehead with his right index finger. Then stepped back and away.

The Prime Minister sat there appearing stunned for a moment before suddenly taking a deep breath of air. He suddenly grabbed the arms of his chair and swayed a bit as a look of amazement passed over his face.

After a few moments the look of amazement was replaced with one of fury.

Suddenly he shot to his feet and slammed his fists onto the top of his desk. Staring off into the distance, he snarled, "That... that... bastard!"

Lady Muriel jumped back in fright before exclaiming, "Mr Prime Minister!"

The Prime Minister, not seeming to have heard his personal private secretary while staring off into the distance, snarled even more venomously, "That... traitorous... prick!"

"John!" exclaimed Lady Muriel. "Your language!"

Harry, in the mean time, had calmly walked back to his chair and sat down to wait out the Prime Minister's furious rant.

The Prime Minister, finally hearing Lady Muriel, visibly got himself back under control before more calmly saying and sitting back down, "I apologise, Muriel. I... was just... surprised."

The Prime Minister took a few more moments to close his eyes calming himself before, opening his eyes again, he picked up the ledger and handed it back to Lady Muriel.

"Thank you, Muriel," he said. "I will call if we need you again."

Knowing a dismissal when she heard it Lady Muriel stiffly responded, "Thank you, Mr Prime Minister." And walked out.

'Not a happy lady', thought Harry.

After Lady Muriel closed the door behind her the Prime Minister looked up at Harry and said, "I thank you for telling me this, Harry."

"You're welcome, Sir," Harry replied but, sensing a dismissal coming up, said, "However, the information will do you no good when Fudge returns for his next visit."

The Prime Minister thought about that for moment before saying, "He'd just do it to me again, wouldn't he?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "Before you could even open your mouth. Surprise would be on his side."

Then Harry went on, "I expect he will also be back sooner rather than later. I expect he's going to come and find out why his little listening device has failed."

The Prime Minister glanced down at the little trinket on his desk before looking back up at Harry and saying, "What can I do to stop it?"

"I'm sorry, Prime Minister, you can't," said Harry slowly shaking his head. "You have no way to protect yourself from it."

The Prime Minister was thoughtful for a while before looking back up at Harry and saying, "What if we..."

Suddenly there was a flash and 'poof' sound from the fireplace.

Harry spun around just in time to see Fudge step through wearing a chequered suit with a derby on his head.

Harry immediately thrust his right hand at the man and said, "Stupefy!"

Fudge collapsed to the ground on the spot.

"What on earth was that?" exclaimed the Prime Minister.

Turning back to him, Harry softly said, "A spell to knock him out. He'll be out for a while until I wake him."

Rising from his chair, Harry walked over to Fudge's body and started rifling through his pockets.

Finding what he was looking for he removed something from one of Fudges pockets.

Holding it up, Harry showed it to the Prime Minister, while making the 'Shhh' signal with an index finger vertically over his lips. It was a trinket identical to one of which Harry had already dealt.

The Prime Minister clearly understood Harry meant him not to say anything, so wisely kept silent. However, he was also clearly furious.

Harry then cast an almost silent spell on the object. He hesitated a moment before placing a second one on it. And then a third.

"Well, that happened faster than I thought," Harry suddenly said. "I didn't expect him to come checking for at least a day."

"And, sorry, Sir," continued Harry. "For not saying something but I couldn't risk anyone back at the Ministry from overhearing.

"However, I don't think there will be," he went on. "This is Fudge's doing and he won't want anyone else knowing what he's up to."

Reaching for his telephone the Prime Minster said, "I'll have security deal with him. I want to..."

"No, Sir!" interrupted Harry.

Hesitating, the Prime Minister turned back to look at Harry and quietly asked, "Why not?"

"Firstly, Sir," replied Harry, "he's a wizard. Nothing your security services have can hold him.

"Secondly, when he doesn't return, the Ministry will send through Aurors, magical police, to look for him.

"Thirdly, we can use this to our advantage."

Dropping his hand back to the desk the Prime Minister said, "Explain."

"I can use the same spell on him that he's been using on you," explained Harry. "I can give him similar... hypnotic... instructions to make him believe he successfully replaced his listening device.

"I've already placed a spell on the device to stop it from listening in, and replaced it with one that provides false information back to him.

"I've also removed the charm on it that makes you want to keep it on your desk."

"Okay, I'm with you so far," mused the Prime Minister. Gathering himself and speaking more **authoritatively**, he said, "However, the man is still a traitor; and there is still the matter of sedition within the magical world."

"Yes, Sir," said Harry. "But the sedition is greater than you think."

The Prime Minister frowned and said, "Then you'd best tell me who else is involved."

Seeing his opportunity, Harry went in for the kill.

"Fudge here," he said tapping the man with his toe, "Is only what you've seen of it. He, and a great many others, believe the magical world is nobody's business but theirs.

"Almost everyone in the magical world agrees with him. And, overtly or not, they nearly all work to keep the mundane world ignorant."

"WHAT?!" the Prime Minister near bellowed.

"Near everyone in the magical world," Harry calmly continued, "believes the mundane world has no right to know what's going on. That includes all other forms and government... And Her Majesty."

"LIKE HELL!," the Prime Minister near bellowed again.

"As far as the magical world is concerned," continued Harry as if the Prime Minister hadn't said anything, "Her Majesty is nothing more than a muggle. And that is a derogatory word on par with calling a black person a gollywog. Some would even consider Her nothing more than... a clever monkey... not worth their attention."

By this time the Prime Minister was near incoherent with rage. "Those... those... people! Those... GAHH!"

Again, Harry waited for the Prime Minister to take control of himself. But, while he waited, the door to the office opened again and Lady Muriel returned. She paused for a moment when she saw Fudge on the floor but then simply walked around him.

"Mister Prime Minister," she said a little angrily, "You have guests awaiting you in my office; and we can hear all your shouting from there. Some have also already left not wanting to meet you while you are shouting."

When it appeared the Prime Minister's temper had at least dropped back to anger rather than full on fury, she then said, "Now. Do I need to call security or medical staff for the man on the floor?"

"Mr... Harry here... is going to stuff his ass back out through the fireplace when we're done with him," the Prime Minister retorted. "He can bloody well lie there for now, as far as care."

"Very well," said Lady Muriel. "In the mean time, please modulate your volume down to a dull roar."

Just as she turned to leave again she hesitated for a moment before turning back and said with exasperation, "And please try to mind your language."

Then she exited the office again closing the door softly behind herself.

Harry then said, "There are thousands of them in that world, Mr Prime Minister, in Britain alone. While they may not have committed war upon the United Kingdom, through their magics they have still effectively seceded as a... peoples... from the mundane world."

"No, they have not!" retorted the Prime Minister. "I will not allow it!"

"There is nothing you, personally, can do about it, Sir," replied Harry. "Other than Fudge, here, you will not even be able _find_ them unless they want you to. They employ magics to occlude themselves from mundane eyes."

"Then how, pray tell, can we deal with it?" asked the Prime Minister angrily.

"First, Sir, I think we need to send Fudge here back," said Harry. "After, of course, I do to him what he did to you. He will be missed very soon if I do not."

The Prime Minister grumbled for a minute before he gestured for Harry to do it.

Harry then bent over Fudge a little and stuck the man's wand into his pocket. He searched his pockets again and found... a little container with Floo powder in it. Pocketing that himself he cast a weak Enervate charm, then immediately helped the groggy man to his feet. He immediately cast the Obliviate spell on him and kept him in a confused-like state.

While the man was staring vacantly off into space Harry, using a little bit of Legilimency on the man, said, "Minister, your mission to replace your listening device on the Prime Minister's desk was successful. You obliviated him of any memory of it then immediately floo'ed back to the Ministry with no one aware of what you'd done.

"On your return you will find your listening device is working perfectly. You will not need to return."

Harry then put the man in the fireplace and, taking a pinch of floo powder, tossed it in and called, "The Ministry!"

The Minister disappeared with a flash.

"Right," snapped the Prime Minister. "How do we deal with them?"

Harry then set about telling him what he needed the Prime Minister to do. But, it wasn't until Harry played his trump card, that the Prime Minister finally made the telephone call Harry needed him to make.


	3. The Queen's Wrath

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Three - The Queen's Wrath

The ride to Buckingham Palace was made in silence. It was only a short trip, after all.

The Prime Minister's car was not what Harry expected it to be, either. But, Harry wasn't surprised the Prime Minister would want to get him in to the Palace somewhat incognito. He just did not think a MI5 black Ford Explorer with tinted windows driving directly from Downing Street to the Palace side gate on Birdcage Walk was all that incognito. Photographers took pictures of the four wheel drive leaving Downing Street, and other photographers took pictures of it driving in through the Birdcage Walk entrance. It wouldn't be long before photographs from each location were compared at some newspaper editor's desk and for someone to start investigating why Downing Street was paying the Palace a visit.

Once inside the gates the car was driven up to a portico at what Harry thought of as the rear of the Palace proper.

After an inspection of their persons by Palace Security Harry and the Prime Minister were escorted through the Palace to the Queen's Audience Room not far from where he knew the Queen's private chambers were located. Harry was still wearing his glamour and carrying his satchel, while the clearly uncomfortable Prime Minister was holding a folio case under his left arm with both sets of documents. The cube was in his pocket.

Once inside the room their Royal escort left them, but they weren't alone. Royal Page's were stationed at quiet attention paired at each end of the room. At least that's Harry knew they pretended to be, instead of the highly trained bodyguards he knew they really were. Harry stood with the Prime Minister in silence in the middle of the room while they waited. It amused Harry the power play in action here. It was straight out of modern business practices to show dominance to a person making them wait like this.

After just over half an hour the door at the opposite end of the room from the one they entered opened. The Queen entered with a small retinue before she took a seat at a small desk. Harry could see she was quite angry.

The Prime Minister didn't move from where they were standing about twelve feet from the front of the desk except for turning to face the desk, so neither did Harry. He just shifted position slightly to be standing alongside the Prime Minister facing the desk.

After taking Her seat and making Herself comfortable, and with Her retinue arrayed either side of Her desk, only then did She look up. "Now, Mister Prime Minister," She said. "We had to cancel a number of very important appointments for this outrage. The last time someone pulled this stunt on a reigning Monarch they enjoyed a week at Our pleasure in the Tower. Privilege of the Peerage, indeed."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the Prime Minister, clearly quite uncomfortable and not knowing what else to say under the stern stare of his Queen. He was not going to use his normal informal manner of addressing his Queen while She was in this mood.

"We believe you have some documents for Us," She said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied the Prime Minister, bringing the portfolio before him.

The Queen didn't move but one of her retinue stepped forward, took the folio, and carried it over to the Queen's desk. She took the case without a word, pulled all the documents out in the two bundles they were in, and laid them upon her desk. The original documents were on top.

"And these are?" she quietly asked without even looking up.

"The top bundle are the original documents found hidden in a secret compartment in my office, Your Majesty," replied the Prime Minister. "It is believed they have rested there since before 10 Downing Street became the Prime Minister's office.

"The second bundle is the translations provided to me by... Lord Potter, Your Majesty."

The Queen then set the top bundle aside, opened the second, and began to read.

Harry could see She had both some experience in speed reading and clearly understood the documents.

After She read the first couple of documents and without looking up She said, "We need to see a list of peerages for the Kingdoms of England and Scotland of late tenth century onwards; and any information on the Earldoms of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

One of the retinue who was close to the door said, "Yes, Ma'am," and quickly left.

The Queen continued to read without seeming to pause or even hearing the response to Her command. She was only interrupted in Her reading by the return of the missing member of her retinue with two large tomes. Taking both books off the person She opened each book in turn, flicked through a few pages, and ran Her finger down a page before pausing for moment. Then She set each book aside and returned to reading the documents.

Once She finished reading the last document, and had set the pile on top of the first bundle, She looked up and fixed her stare upon Harry. "That is all well and good, young man," She said. "But, it does not prove you are the Earl of Slytherin."

Harry could tell she was referring to his enacting Privilege of Peerage.

"No, Ma'am," Harry calmly replied. "For that final piece Her Majesty will need to summon a goblin, as they are the only folk who have the skills necessary to prove my claim."

About half the people standing either side of the desk looked at him in shock, and the other half looked at him as if he was crazy. The Queen, however, barely flickered an eyebrow on hearing that. Harry was surprised at how much control She maintained in both expression and body language. If he wasn't watching Her very closely to see what Her reaction would be to his statement he would have missed it.

After hesitating in Her response for a few long moments, and still staring straight at Harry, Her Majesty said, "Send for Sir Kingston Davies. Those who know they're not privy to what Sir Kingston and I discuss may leave now." Flicking her gaze to the Prime Minister she said, "You two stay put."

About half of Her retinue quietly left with murmurs of, "Yes, Ma'am." And Harry noticed they were the ones who thought he was crazy.

After the doors closed behind them Her Majesty said, "We will also be informed to how four of our Earls disappeared from Our view some nine hundred years ago."

"They chose to, Your Majesty," said Harry. "When they could no longer agree on magical matters, instead of fighting each other for domination they eventually all agreed that none would, and walked away from it all."

"Very well," She said. "Now, while We await Sir Kingston to attend Us, We have been informed this meeting is also about sedition in Our Realm. You shall inform Us of this matter now."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry. "As background, with the exception of very specific cases, the wizarding world does not interact with the mundane world - that is, with those who are non-magical. To ensure this continues to occur, the Ministry of Magic through the Wizengamot has enacted laws under their _own_ authority to heavily penalise those who show magic, or talk to mundane people about magic, outside of their authority. Those who do so are usually penalised anywhere from a stern lecture to imprisonment in the wizarding prison called Azkaban.

"You and Your Government, Ma'am, are also now considered to be of the mundane world. As such, the Ministry of Magic would rule I have broken the law speaking about this with You, and would probably seek I be placed in Azkaban for a very long time. That sentence will probably exceed my life span as most folk sent to that prison rarely survive past a few years into their sentence."

As Harry spoke he could see the Queen becoming more and more incensed with what he was telling her.

"Further, when a mundane learns of the wizarding world, or even just that magic is real, people working for the Ministry are sent to wipe their memories of the knowledge, by force if necessary."

On hearing that the Queen raised Her right hand in a stop gesture.

"Do you mean to tell Us," She said in a low angry voice. "One of _Our_ Ministries... is passing laws of which _We_ are unaware... and carrying out aggressive acts... against _Our_ subjects... without Our knowledge?"

"Yes and no, Ma'am," Harry quietly replied.

"Explain!" snapped the Queen.

"You may have noticed I referred to it as the Ministry _of_ Magic, rather than the Ministry _for_ Magic," said Harry. "The Ministry has now reached the point - under the direction of the current so-called Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge - where they believe they no longer have to pay _any_ attention to any mundane whomsoever; including you, Your Majesty."

"WHAT!?," the Queen nearly bellowed.

The Prime Minister, showing more backbone and fortitude than Harry initially gave him credit for, took a short step forward raising his hands in a placating gesture.

"Ma'am, please," he pleaded. "Your blood pressure."

Swivelling her gaze to Her Prime Minister She asked, "And what do _YOU_ know of this, Mister Prime Minister?"

"I learned of this only a few short hours ago, Your Majesty," he replied. "When Mister Potter here presented himself to my personal private secretary and, using a secret code phrase that indicated there was trouble in this magical world and someone needed to talk urgently to me about it, demanded an audience with me.

"I must confess I spent a great deal of that time trying to verify a lot of what he told me before contacting Your offices," he said. "Even then I delayed in action trying to verify as much as I could before Mister... Lord... Potter claimed Privilege of Peerage and forced my hand."

"There's more, isn't there, Mister Prime Minister," demanded the Queen.

"Errr... yes, Your Majesty," he said. "During the course of the morning Lord Potter dealt with a magical device that was the equivalent of a listening bug that was on my desk. And... and he cast a spell upon me that undid spells Fudge had cast upon me to make me believe the meetings we have had were... long and healthy discussions over a wide variety of subjects. When Lord Potter removed the effect of those spells I was able to remember that those meetings I had _thought_ we had held were nothing more than fallacies. That, in fact, the meetings had consisted of nothing more that Fudge walking into my office, casting the spell on me, and then walking out again."

Just as the Prime Minister was speaking his last few words, the door through which the Queen had entered opened again and a man appearing in his late seventies with white hair, a trimmed beard and wearing an expensive suit entered and closed the door; before starting to make his way over towards the Queen's desk.

"WHAT!?," the Queen bellowed again.

The elderly gentleman, on hearing that, recoiled in shock.

Still showing the depth of his fortitude the Prime Minister again raised his hands in a placating gesture and pleaded, "Ma'am, please."

Pausing for a moment before swivelling her basilisk-like glare on the elderly gentleman, the Queen said, "You!.. Sir Kingston!... Why haven't you briefed me on the sedition... treason!... I'm hearing about... coming from the magical world?"

"Tr...treason? Your Majesty?"

"Yes, treason!" she exclaimed. "These gentlemen are informing Us that all is not well with Our subjects in the magical world. Why are We only hearing about this now, and not by you?"

The old man spluttered, "I... I don't... I'm unaware of any such treason, Your Majesty!"

"You're supposed to be Our Royal Wizard, Sir Kingston!" she barked. "We find Ourselves, at the moment, most _wroth_ with you!"

"Your Majesty! I... I don't understand!" he spluttered.

"Save it!" snapped the Queen. "We will have words with you concerning your lack of knowledge on this matter at another time. For now, you are to summon a goblin to Our presence with all haste. See to it and return here immediately. Now, go!"

"Y... Yes, Your Majesty!" the old man blurted before turning tail and bolting from the room just as a younger, middle-aged, man in a similar suit walked in through the same door and approached the Queen's desk.

"Pardon me, Ma'am," he said deferentially, while offering Her a thin document folio. "I have that information you requested."

"Thank you," the Queen said, taking it from him and placing it on Her desk before Herself. Opening it, She began to read.

The man bowed deferentially to His Queen before turning and quietly leaving the room through the same door.

Harry hoped, whatever it was, the time she spent on it would help her calm down a little. However, he soon saw she was still somewhat upset.

Looking up from Her reading, the Queen angrily stared at Harry before asking, "Who are you really, young man?"

"I really am Harry James Potter, Your Majesty," he replied. "I swear to it on my magics and my life."

"Well, Mister Potter; then We have a problem," the Queen said. "I have before me background information on one Harry James Potter, and you are not he.

"According to Our information, Harry James Potter is a ten year old boy just shy of his eleventh birthday who resides at Number Four, Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey, with his Aunt and Uncle, his guardians. And, at this very moment, he is sitting in a classroom in Little Whinging Primary School, with the rest of his class."

Knowing his cover was now blown, Harry softly sighed and said, "I was hoping to do this while your Royal Wizard was here, Your Majesty, so he could verify what I was doing. However, I need to cast a small spell upon myself, if you don't mind."

Still glaring at the young man before her, the Queen asked, "Is it dangerous?"

"No, Ma'am," Harry firmly replied. "It's a simple glamour cancelling charm."

The Queen hesitated for a moment before saying, "We give you permission."

Harry then reached up before himself a little above his own head and cast the charm. Then, as he slowly lowered his arm back to his side, the glamour he had been supporting with his magical core for so long slowly faded away.

As the glamour slowly faded Harry could hear the quiet gasps of surprise coming from the Queen's remaining retinue and, even closer, from the Prime Minister standing nearby; who took a couple of quick steps away from him in his surprise.

The Queen, however, didn't even bat an eyelash at Harry's reveal. Even though, what She now found before Her, was a small and slender dark-haired ten year old boy with a short back and sides haircut and wearing a dark blue sports jacket over the top, white buttoned-up collared shirt with a plain unadorned dark blue tie, dark grey slacks with a black belt, and black lace-up shoes. The only thing that hadn't changed was the black leather business satchel he still had hanging from his left shoulder. His most notable feature was the small lightning bolt scar on his forehead below his hairline just over his right eye.

The Queen stared at him for a moment longer, looked down at the photograph of the ten year old boy in the folio before her, before again looking back up at Harry.

"Then, if you really are Harry James Potter, just who is it currently attending Little Whinging Primary School?" she asked in an almost flat monotone.

"That is Dobby, Your Majesty," Harry calmly replied. "He's a House Elf, a magical being, who has taken a potion to take my place until the first of September, this year."

"And just why would he do that?" the Queen asked in the same voice. "And why the first of September?"

"He volunteered for, and took on the role, on my fourth birthday," Harry replied. "It was necessary to ensure a manipulative old wizard in the wizarding world did not learn of my disappearance while I studied and learned of my heritage under the tutelage of my teacher.

"And the first of September is the day I board the train for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Scotland at Kings Cross Station."

"To what purpose is this... house elf... impersonating you?" asked the Queen.

Just as the Queen was asking her latest question Sir Kingston came hurrying back into the room. He'd come about four steps in before he noticed the young boy, Harry, standing near the Prime Minister.

"Oh, my God!" he exclaimed in shock at Harry. "You're Harry Potter!" drawing all eyes towards him.

"Sir Kingston!" said the Queen loudly. And then more calmly called to him, "Come. Here."

Sir Kingston flicked his eyes back and forth between Harry and his Queen for a few moments before actually blushing when he paid more attention to Her and stammered, "Oh... Your Majesty... I'm sorry."

Then he continued to walk quickly over to the Queens desk and addressed her directly. "Your Majesty, the goblins have been contacted and their... ambassador... will be with us momentarily," he near stammered rushing his words out. "He will be arriving via the Floo network and will come out into the room from the fireplace over there," the old wizard said gesturing toward the fireplace half way along the side wall opposite the windows. "I've also temporarily dropped the palace wards to allow him to come through. But I'll have them back up for you once your business with him is included."

"Sir Kingston!" the Queen firmly said. "Calm yourself in our presence. We are definitely not amused by your behaviour this day!"

Blushing and near-physically trying to calm himself, the old wizard said in a calmer voice, "Y... Your Majesty, I sincerely and deeply apologise. I just did not expect to see the hero of the wizarding world standing here before you."

"Be that as it may," said the Queen. "If We did not need your counsel, right now, We would be banishing you from Our sight! However, as We will be needing your counsel, go stand over there," the Queen gestured off to one side. "And get yourself under control, man!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the old wizard said much calmer now before bowing and moving to where his Queen directed him.

"Hero of the wizarding world, young man?" enquired the Queen turning back to Harry.

"Errr... yes, Ma'am," replied Harry blushing. "The wizarding world - all of them - believes that I killed one of the most powerful dark wizards in their history while I was only a fifteen month old baby."

"Extraordinary!" She said.

Hesitating a moment expecting Harry to say more she then said, "We believe you were about to inform Us as to why this... house elf... is impersonating you."

"In the magical world, Your Majesty," began Harry, "there is a very powerful wizard named Albus Dumbledore. Over the past sixty plus years he has been setting himself up as..."

Suddenly there was a 'poof'' of sound and magical flame from the fireplace. And from the fireplace a goblin dressed in a mundane business suit without a jacket and carrying a small business satchel stepped out startling nearly everyone. The goblin brushed a few spots of soot off himself before calmly turning and walking towards the Queen's desk settling his satchel more comfortably on his shoulder. He paid no attention to anyone else in the room.

A few steps short of the desk he stopped, dropped to one knee with a flourish while also bowing his head, and said, "Your Majesty," to the Queen.

Pausing a few moments he then rose back to his feet, looked at the Queen, and asked, "You wished to see me?"

Hesitating only a moment the Queen said, "Yes, and you are?"

"Grunnark, at your service, My Lady," the goblin replied. "I am Director Ragnock's envoy to you. The Director hopes I find you in good health and asks how Gringotts of London may be of service to the Crown of the United Kingdom."

Pausing to look over at the old wizard the Queen just asked, "Sir Kingston?"

Sir Kingston stepped forward a few steps and calmly said, "Your majesty, the goblins are a proud warrior race who now dedicate themselves to running the banking system for the wizarding world. They take care of all the monetary needs of the wizarding world as well as hereditary matters and the passing on of estates and heirlooms. Their dedication to that role is absolute and, while they can be ruthless in business, are utterly uncompromisable in their trustworthiness."

"Thank you, Sir Kingston," she said with a small nod and turned back to look at the goblin.

The old wizard bowed and backed back into his spot against the wall.

"Grunnark, on your return please inform Director Ragnock We are in good health and hope he is also," the Queen said. "In the mean time, We are led to believe the goblins are able to confirm an heir for Us associated with the wizarding world."

"We can do such a thing, Your Majesty, but we cannot divulge the findings without the permission of the heir involved," replied the goblin.

The Queen nodded and said, "The young man behind you claims to be the rightful heir of the Earldom of Slytherin. We would have this confirmed."

Grunnark nodded and turned to face Harry. He paused a moment and said, "You are Harry James Potter. We of Gringotts would know why you have not responded to the correspondence we have sent you."

"I have received no such correspondence, Grunnark," replied Harry almost haughtily. "I believe my magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore, has not been forwarding it to me."

The goblin stared at him for a moment before replying, "Very well." Then he reached into the small satchel he was carrying, removed a small vile and knife, and said, "I will need a few small drops of your blood."

"I shall give you no such thing, Grunnark," Harry said. "Instead, you will return to Gringotts, gather the material you need to perform your tests, and return here. I wish for Her Majesty to witness the rite so she may verify for herself the validity of my claim."

"As you wish," the goblin said, and dropped the vial and knife back into his satchel. Turning back around to the Queen he said, "I will need about twenty minutes to gather what I need."

"Then you have Our leave to depart via the means you came here," the Queen responded. "We shall see you once more in twenty minutes."

The goblin then just turned and walked away back to the fireplace. Once there, he then Floo'ed away.

Harry wondered why the goblins had been trying to contact him.

"Mister Potter," said the Queen, drawing Harry's attention back to her, "you were quite rude to that goblin. He was an envoy and deserved respect."

"Your Majesty, as Sir Kingston said the goblins are a warrior race," replied Harry. "When someone is polite to them they think it's because that person is weak. Instead, I acted exactly as a rightful heir should by showing I believe myself to be better than he. In that way I have gained his respect.

"I also denied him taking my blood away because blood, freely given, can be used in magics against me. He knew this so he was being contemptuous with me by demanding it. When he returns he will demonstrate greater respect and we will establish a better relationship."

The Queen thought about what Harry said for a moment before turning to Sir Kingston and demanding, "And why did you not make Us aware of this, Sir Kingston?"

"My apologies, again, Your Majesty," the old wizard said. "It has been many years ere I have been anywhere near a goblin's bank. And I do not believe I even knew those facts back then. It is not something they taught us at Hogwarts, Ma'am."

"Then after we have concluded today you are to begin updating your knowledge of the wizarding world," huffed the Queen. "As Our Royal Wizard We expect better."

The old wizard blushed and contritely said, "Yes, Your Majesty," with a small bow.

The Queen then focussed her attention back on Harry before saying, "Now then, you were telling us about this Mister Dumbledore. A name I also heard you say to the goblin was your magical guardian. We would hear more."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry. "It is a long tale but will both update you on the wizarding world and answer your question."

The Queen just gave a curt nod in response.

"Back during the Second World War there was also a magical world war going on," Harry began. "The two wars were about the same thing; one man trying to claim power over everyone else. In the mundane world you had Hitler trying to take over. In the magical world you had Grindelwald trying to take over. It is also believed Grindelwald was driving Hitler onwards in his quest to hide what he, himself, was doing.

"Albus Dumbledore, a powerful wizard, rose during the war to become one of the leaders for 'our' side. He fought hard for what became known as the Forces for the Light.

"Dumbledore is then credited as the wizard who defeated Grindelwald in a duel and ended the magical war. For this the Ministry awarded him the Order of Merlin, First Class. What really happened is Dumbledore came across Grindelwald by accident and, approaching from behind, shot him in the back."

"Mister Potter," interrupted the Queen. "It is not the place of one of Our Ministries to award medals. That is Our prerogative!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "But, as I said, the Ministry do not seem to be bothered with that."

The Queen was once more quite irate. "Just how long has this... sedition... been going on, Mister Potter?"

"It has slowly been building and getting worse and worse since at least the First World War, Ma'am," replied Harry. "But it is since the Second World War it has become... more overt."

The Queen was quite livid. It took her quite a few moments to get herself back under control. Then she said, "Please, continue, Sir."

Continuing, Harry said, "Peace reigned for many years after that, with Dumbledore being lauded right across the wizarding world as a great hero. He then built his political power base from the adulation of the populace.

"But, after many years, the hard won peace once more came under threat. By this time, the early 1970s, Dumbledore was an established professor at Hogwarts and in line to take the mantle of Headmaster. Quite a prestigious position.

"A past student of Dumbledore, by the name of Tom Riddle, had recently returned from Eastern Europe where he'd headed soon after his graduation in 1945. He began to foment discontent among the magical community by espousing how those wizards of pure blood - though, there's no such thing - should be running things. He convinced others to join his cause; and his number of followers grew. He also gave himself a brand new name; Lord Voldemort."

"Lord Voldemort?" asked the Queen. "Another Lord of which We are unaware?"

"No, Ma'am," replied Harry. "He named himself that but he was no Lord. Riddle chose the name so he could convince those who were Pure Bloods, those with money, to follow him. He took it to hide the fact he was what the wizarding world call a Half Blood; born of a magical mother but a mundane father.

"By the mid 70s a structure of authority had formed within Voldemort's followers. He collected about himself a core of about twenty of his most fanatical and bloodthirsty followers and marked them with a magical... tattoo... on the inside of their right forearms called the Dark Mark. These people he named 'Death Eaters', and then he let them loose to wreak havoc. Which they did.

"The Ministry and the rest of the wizarding world were under attack and many within the magical community were being killed in large numbers; especially those who were half bloods, and those born where both parents were mundanes. Many of the so-called pure bloods in the magical community look down with disdain upon those whom they think are not as _pure_ as they. They even have quite derogatory terms for them. And such folk are often treated as second class citizens within that world.

"The Ministry's own law enforcement branch sent out their Aurors, those trained in handling wizards who break the law, to bring down these Death Eaters; and those who followed Riddle but were not so marked. However, they were failing; they were losing.

"Also by then Dumbledore had secretly drawn about him his own group. They were a collection of about a dozen people who knew something had to be done and, as the Ministry's Aurors were failing, decided to do something about it. By this time the wizarding world, especially here in Britain, truly was at war."

"Do you mean to tell Us a war existed in our realm," the Queen asked ominously. "That one of Our Ministries knew of it; and that they failed to advise Us of it?"

"I believe, Your Majesty," Harry responded. "That the Minister for Magic reported to your then Prime Minister that a small terrorist group was causing a few minor problems within the wizarding world but they were handling it."

The Queen was furious. Harry knew that one Cornelius Fudge would soon learn his Queen's wrath was not to be trifled with.

After a short while the Queen once more got her temper under control and said, "Please. Continue."

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "Dumbledore's group called themselves the Order of the Phoenix. They numbered Aurors who were disgusted in their own Ministry, and others with skills in offensive spells and battle tactics. They came from pure blood families, the elite of the wizarding world, through to mundane-borns. In order to protect themselves and their families the Order operated in secret. Few outside the organisation knew who was in it. Both my parents were in the Order.

"The war didn't rage on continuously, either. There were periods of months at a time where both sides were silent. But all within the magical community knew that Voldemort - Riddle - was winning. It was only a matter of time, and Voldemort was proving to be a patient man.

"During one of these quiet periods in early 1980 two of the ladies of the Order fell pregnant pretty much at the same time. My mother was one. And not too much later the fighting broke out again.

"Also by then, and due to a spy within their ranks, Voldemort had learned of the Order of the Phoenix. He gave orders to his Death Eaters to hunt them down as a matter of priority. However, the Order also discovered that _they_ had been discovered through their own spy within the Death Eater ranks.

"The Order went into hiding; all except for Dumbledore, who returned to Hogwarts and hid behind its powerful wards. Wards similar to what you have upon the palace here.

"By this time Dumbledore was Headmaster and was trying to ensure he had enough teachers to fill the vacancies caused by the war. He tried hard to ensure wizarding children were still receiving an education.

"During the interview of one Sybill Trelawney, who had applied for the vacant Divination Professorship, he found the woman to be a little... scatterbrained. He was about to thank her for her time when, suddenly, she dropped into a full Seer's trance.

"Miss Trelawney then began to speak. She said, '_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches_'."

"There was a sudden noise outside and Dumbledore jumped up to quickly investigate. He saw no one. But the sudden noise startled Miss Trelawney enough to knock her out of her Seer's trance. Dumbledore tried to get her to drop back into her trance but she couldn't do it.

"Believing there was more to the prophecy, and there was though he didn't know that, he hired her on the spot so that she would be close by him if she ever dropped back into the trance and finished the prophecy."

"It was real?" asked the Queen. "It was a real prophecy?"

"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry. "In the magical world a prophecy uttered by a magical Seer is real. It's just that people more often than not do not know to what they pertain.

"However, Dumbledore believed he knew what it meant. He believed that the child born to either my mother, Lily Evans-Potter, or another lady within the Order, Alice Longbottom, would be the prophesised child. He then sent both sets of parents into hiding.

"Not long after, Dumbledore learned that Voldemort knew of the prophecy, or at least part of it. It was an agent of Voldemort's who had made the noise that knocked Miss Trelawney out of her trance. So he sent both sets of parents into deep hiding."

Suddenly, the fireplace gave another flash of magical flame and soot. Grunnark again stepped out of it. But this time he turned around and waited. A moment later the fireplace gave another flash and cough. Grunnark then reached in and pulled from it a polished wooden box about two foot long, a foot wide and about six inches deep. He waited a few moments more and a third flash and cough another goblin stepped out dressed in an even better business suit than Grunnark's.

Grunnark then bowed to the second goblin and, carrying the box in front of him, led the second goblin over to the Queen.

Just in front of the desk both goblins dropped to one knee, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty."

As both stood Grunnark said, "Your Majesty, I present Director Ragnock of Gringotts of London." Then he stepped aside.

Ragnock then said, "Your Majesty, due to the importance of this situation, I felt I should attend this matter personally."

"Thank you, Director Ragnock," said the Queen. "Did Grunnark inform you of what we wish to discover here today?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Ragnock. "We have the necessary equipment with us to perform the rite."

Then looking around, he asked, "If we may have a small table on which to place this box?"

The Queen nodded and one of her retinue hurried across to the side of the room, grabbed a small Queen Victorian side table, and brought it back placing it in the middle a few feet in front of Harry.

While Grunnark placed the box atop the table Ragnock looked up at Harry and said, "Mister Potter. I have been informed you have not been receiving the correspondence we sent to you. I will have words with you concerning that ere we are done here today."

"If there's time, we shall do so, Director," replied Harry.

Grunnark had opened the lid of the box and removed from it a sheet of parchment and a small pointed knife. He closed the lid and placed both atop and stepped back.

"Now, Mister Potter," instructed Ragnock, "you will need to use the knife to prick your right ring finger. You will then allow one drop of your blood to land on the parchment. The magics within the parchment will then reveal to us your true heritage."

Harry looked up at the Queen who then, after a moment, nodded back. He stepped up to the box and did as he was told before taking a step back and pinching down on his finger to stop the bleeding.

From where he was standing Harry could see the single drop of blood beginning to seep into the parchment. Even the Queen had risen from her chair to lean over her desk and watch.

After a few moments the drop of blood suddenly all but disappeared and very quickly lines of red began to flow out from where the drop had landed across the parchment. After a few more moments it stopped, leaving written lines in its place.

Ragnock then stepped forward and picked the parchment up, orienting it to himself so he could read it.

Quickly scanning through what was written Ragnock said, "Hmmm... I see."

Then, turning to look at Harry, he said, "You are, indeed, the heir to the Earl of Slytherin, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin; just as you are the rightful heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, and the rightful heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

That startled Harry. It was more than he anticipated hearing. Grunnark again opened the box, placed the knife within it and removed what looked like three small ring boxes, before closing the lid again.

It took Harry a few moments to regather himself before he said, "It is Her Majesty who sought this information today. Please, show her."

Ragnock gave Harry a small bow before turning and walking over to stand in front of the Queens desk.

"Your Majesty," he said, offering the parchment to Her.

The Queen, who by this time had recovered her seat, took the document from Ragnock and quickly read through it.

After a moment she looked up and called Sir Kingston to her side.

"Well?" she asked him.

"It is authentic, Your Majesty," he said. "The document, and the information on it, cannot be forged."

"Very well," she said motioning the old wizard aside before turning back to face Ragnock.

"We require a true copy of this document, Director Ragnock," she said handing the document back to Ragnock. "For Our records."

Hesitating but a moment the old goblin said, "Of course, Your Majesty."

Turning back to Grunnark he made a small gesture. Grunnark reached back into the box and drew out a second sheet of parchment and the small knife.

Then, turning to Harry, he said, "You will need to repeat the rite, Mister Potter, to make the copy."

Harry stepped forward for the second time and, again pricking his finger, repeated the rite before again stepping back.

When the blood finished its work Ragnock stepped forward, picked up the document and compared the two. Then he walked over and handed it to the Queen.

Walking back over to stand before Harry he asked, "Will you be taking up your heirs rings at this time, Mister Potter?"

Instead of immediately answering Harry asked, "If I take up my rings will the Wizengamot and my magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore be informed?"

"Yes, Mister Potter."

"Is there a way I can take my rings and not have the Wizengamot nor Dumbledore informed?"

The old goblin hesitated for a moment before replying, "It has never been done before, Mister Potter. But it could be done."

"What is this Wizengamot of which We are hearing?" the Queen asked firmly.

"The Wizengamot, Your Majesty," began Harry, "is a body of wizards set up by the Ministry. It is formed of three parts. The first is the Heads of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses, the Noble and Most Ancient Houses, the Noble and Ancient Houses, the Noble Houses and those Magical Houses who hold a lordship; and the second is the Heads of Department within the Ministry, usually Undersecretaries, who are not part of the first two groups but are there as advisors in magic. Albus Dumbledore is Chief Warlock of the small group of powerful wizards.

"It is this body that write and pass the laws that govern Magical Britain, and the Ministry enacts."

"They most certainly do NOT!" the Queen called out. "It is the Houses of Lords and Commons in Westminster who write and pass laws in the United Kingdom - magical, mundane or otherwise! And they do so only under Our authority!"

It was Ragnock who responded in the face of the Queen's ire, "They do not agree, Your Majesty, and have passed laws to that affect in their own name."

"WHAT?!" the Queen near bellowed again, rising from behind her desk.

And again, it was the Prime Minister, who had been content to try and make himself as little noticeable as possible since the last time he spoke, who once more stepped forward trying to calm his Queen.

"Y... Your Majesty!" he croaked. "Your blood pressure!"

Again, visibly controlling Herself and retaking her seat, the Queen called, "Davies!"

The old wizard blanched but hurried forward.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked quite deferentially.

"We are hearing of yet more information of which We were not aware," She snapped. "Explain yourself!"

"Your Majesty," he said. "The sum total of the time I spent immersed in the magical world consisted of the time I attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from shortly after my eleventh birthday until the year I turned seventeen. On graduating I sought employment within that world but, on finding none, I returned to the mundane world. I have not returned since.

"I believed Your Prime Minister was receiving regular briefings from the Ministry, so I saw no reason to make my own investigations."

The Queen just glowered at the poor man for a moment before gesturing, "Go back over there!"

'Yep', Harry thought. 'The Royal Wizard is in deep doo doo'.

Ragnock spoke up just then and said, "Shall I gut him for his incompetence, for you, Your Majesty?"

The Queen turned her gaze back upon the old goblin, hesitated for a moment, and said, "No. We shall deal with him in Our own manner at a later time."

The old goblin bowed and said, "Very well, Your Majesty." But he gave every sign he was quite disappointed in Her response.

That, at least, seemed to amuse Her Majesty, even if the only sign of it was a slight twitch near the edge of her mouth.

"Now," she said looking back up at Harry, "I take it you have reasons for not wanting this Wizengamot from learning of your... elevation, My Lord?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied. "My investigations lead me to believe members of the Wizengamot - led by no less than my own magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore - will attempt to prevent me from taken my rightful place within the wizarding world if they... catch wind... of what I'm up to.

"My own plan - which has taken a great deal of forethought and planning between my tutor and myself - has for me to ambush those sons of... folks before they can act."

"We see," said the Queen. "We shall hear more of this plan of yours once We are satisfied We have what information We need.

"In the mean time, Director Ragnock," she said looking down at the old goblin, "By Our command, you are to ensure these rings of which you speak do not advise this Wizengamot, nor anyone else, that Lord Potter has accepted them."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," the old goblin said, bowing deeply forward.

"Lord Potter," She said turning to Harry. "You are the Earl of Slytherin and by Our command you will take up your Earl of Slytherin and other rings."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Harry stepping forward to join Ragnock before the large box.

Ragnock, on hearing what the Queen said, looked back down at the rite of inheritance document and seemed a little startled by what he saw.

He then picked up one of the small boxes and looked up at Harry, before saying, "First will be the Head of House ring for the House of Slytherin."

He then opened the box, cast an intricate spell upon the rings inside, and offered it to Harry, "Yours is the ring on the left. The magics of the ring will not now notify anyone it has been donned. Please put it on the ring finger of your right hand."

Harry then reached into the box with his left hand and removed the ring on the left. Then, raising his right hand before him, he slipped the ring onto his finger as he'd been directed. After a few moments, the ring slowly shrunk to his size finger before giving off a little flash of light. Harry could see the house crest of Slytherin on it in detail.

"That was the final confirmation that you are, indeed, the new Earl of Slytherin," the old goblin said. "Congratulations, my Lord. By ancient law you are now emancipated as a minor. And you have the full rights and authority of an adult in the wizarding world.

"Now that you are recognised as an emancipated minor you no longer require a magical guardian to act in your stead. However, as the magics of the ring has been suppressed from notifying anyone you have donned it, your magical guardian will not be automatically informed."

Then, turning to and picking up the next box, Ragnock turned back, opened it, and cast the same spell on this ring before offering it to Harry. "Place this ring, on the left, on the same finger, My Lord. It will merge with the first."

Following the same process Harry then took the ring and placed it on his finger, watching as the two rings combined into one on his finger before giving off the same flash of light.

"That was the final confirmation that you are the new Lord and Head of House Potter," the old goblin said. "Congratulations again, my Lord."

Ragnock went through the same steps with the third ring offering it to Harry. "This is the Heir's ring for the House of Black. It is the one on the right. Same finger, my Lord."

Following the same process Harry watched as it merged with the first two and flashed.

Ragnock then waved his wand again over the rings and said, "All three rings are now bonded to your magical core, My Lord. All you need to do is think of which ring you want displayed and it is that one which will show itself."

"Is there any way I can obscure them from sight if I don't want them seen?" Harry asked.

"Yes, My Lord," replied the goblin. "You merely need to will them to disappear and they will do so."

Harry looked down at the merged ring on his finger, willed it to cycle through the three different Houses, and then willed it to disappear, before lowering his hand again.

Harry looked up just in time to see the Prince of Wales enter the room. The tall, middle aged man, walked a few paces into the room and noticed the goblins, Harry and the Prime Minister. He hesitated a moment before making his way over to the Queen.

"Mister Clinton will be arriving momentarily, Mum," he said in his deep soft spoken voice.

Turning to look up at him the Queen said, "You go deal with the philandering fool, Charles. We are about to invest a new Earl into Our Peerage. Tell him We will see him tonight. If he doesn't accept that, confide in him We've taken ill."

"Yes, Mum," said Charles before turning around and walking back out the door.

The Queen then gestured towards one of the pages in Her retinue and said, "Go and get my sword," before then turning to another and saying, "Get four chairs and bring them over for Our guests to sit. They've been standing long enough." The two so indicated scurried off to do their Queen's bidding.

Then, turning to the goblins, She said, "Director Ragnock; you and Grunnark are welcome to stay."

"One moment, if I may, Your Majesty," Harry said, interrupting.

"Lord Potter?" She asked, clearly a little annoyed with the interruption.

"Your Majesty, I happen to know the identities and probable locations of the other three Earls."

Focussing Her stare on Harry the Queen waited for a moment before asking, "And just why are We learning of this now?"

"Your Majesty was focussed on the matter of sedition we were discussing, and my... claim," he said. "I thought it best to wait until you had received information to your satisfaction on those matters before raising the matter of the others.

"Secondly, they, too, will need to verify their claims through the rite of inheritance we have just carried out here concerning my own... elevation.

"And, finally, none of them are aware of their current... status. They are unaware they are the heirs."

"Lord Potter," the Queen said. "You and I will be having a long discussion concerning how you have this information and We are just learning of it now. We also find your manner of speech quite... advanced... for someone of your purported age.

"For now," She said reaching for a blank sheet of paper and a pen. "We will have those names. Take a seat."

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry replied as he and the Prime Minister sat on the antique chairs they were supplied. "Earl Gryffindor is Neville Francis Longbottom. At present he should be at Longbottom Manor under the care of his Grandmother, Madam Augusta Longbottom. He is considered a Pure Blood and I believe his family rarely interact with the mundane world. Longbottom Manor is located just outside of the village of Staining just outside of Blackpool. Neville is one day older than I am and is the other child Dumbledore thought to whom the prophecy might apply."

While Harry was speaking the one sent off to get the Queen's sword returned with it in his gloved hands. And just stood there with it, waiting.

Harry barely paused before continuing. "Neville's parents are still alive but both are now... mentally incapacitated. They are permanent patients at St Mungo's Hospital, magical Britain's wizarding hospital, where they are under twenty-four hour care. Madam Augusta Longbottom is acting as Regent for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom on the Wizengamot."

Harry waited while the Queen wrote down the information before She glanced up again and quietly asked, "What happened to them?"

"Neville's parents? Frank and Alice Longbottom, were tortured to the point where their minds... snapped," Harry quietly said. "The Death Eaters tortured them to find Neville's location but, as they didn't then go after him as he was in the care of his grandmother at the time, the Death Eaters were clearly unsuccessful. Voldemort's - Riddle's - minions used the... event... as an example of what would happen to anyone who stood against him, saying there were worse things than death for those who defied him."

Seeing the Queen was no longer writing Harry went on.

"Countess Hufflepuff is Susan Charity Bones. She is about the same age as me just a few months younger. At present she should be at Bones Manor under the care of her Aunt, Amelia Susan Bones. She is a Half Blood, the same as me; and both her parents and magical grandparents were killed in the recent war I was talking about earlier. Bones Manor is located in High Stakesby about twenty miles east of Middlesborough along the east coast.

"Amelia Bones is the current Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the DMLE, within the Ministry and Chairs the Wizengamot as presiding Judge when a criminal case is brought before them. It is the Wizengamot that acts as a court in such matters. It is the Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, who Chairs the Wizengamot at all other times. The DMLE is the wizarding world's version of MI5 and Scotland Yard combined."

Harry expected the Queen to say something about that. But the only sign he knew She understood what he meant was a slight pursing of Her lips and narrowing of Her eyes.

Once the Queen paused in Her writing Harry continued.

"Countess Ravenclaw is Hermoine Jean Granger. She is about ten months older than me. At present she should be at Highgate Middle School where she is in Year 7. She is mundane born and lives at home in Highgate with her parents. All three have no idea Hermoine is a witch but they know there is something... weird... going on. They should be visited within the next couple of weeks by Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts, who will bring with her an invitation for Hermoine to attend Hogwarts.

"Professor McGonagall will also set the Grangers straight about what it means to be a witch or a wizard and make sure they understand they cannot speak about the wizarding world. That is one of the exceptions to the secrecy... rule... I spoke about earlier.

"Doctor Daniel and Doctor Emma Granger are dental surgeons who run a dental practice together in Highgate proper, not far from their home."

After the Queen finished taking Her notes, She asked, "Is that all, Lord Potter?"

"Not quite, Your Majesty," Harry said. "Both the Longbottom and Bones manors are hidden from mundane eyes. That is, non-magical folk would walk right past both manors and not know they were there. The Granger home, however, can be found in the local telephone directory.

"You will also find little to no record in any system concerning Susan Bones. She has spent her entire life within the wizarding world and I am unaware of any time she has interacted with the mundane world where they would be entered into a record.

"Madam Amelia Bones, in her role as Head of the DMLE, is likely to have interacted with either or both MI5 and Scotland Yard in her work within the DMLE. However, both organisations are unlikely to know of her, or her role within wizarding Britain. I would suspect knowledge of her would have been wiped from the minds of the officers and agents concerned.

"Susan's mother, Charity Bones nee Martin, was a mundane. There should be a birth certificate, medical and school records of her available somewhere. A search on such records for her will find she disappeared shortly before 1st September when she was eleven years old. And to answer the obvious question; yes, it was because she attended Hogwarts. As far as I know she never returned to the mundane world except, possibly, to visit mundane family members.

"Though Neville is a Pure Blood, he was born in a mundane hospital. The same one as me, actually. And only a few hours before. The Order sent both our parents to give birth in a mundane hospital because they had intelligence Riddle knew when our mothers were due. As St Mungo's is the only wizarding hospital in Britain it was too great a risk for either of us to born there. So, you will be able to find a birth certificate for Neville but no other records.

"That is all I have about the other heirs, Your Majesty," finished Harry.

The Queen finished jotting down the last of Her notes before She gestured for another member of Her retinue to step forward. Giving the couple of sheets She had been written upon to him She said, "Get this to the Director of MI5 immediately. He is to make his own investigations and report directly to Us with the results. We would have those results within... ninety minutes. If he seeks clarification of any matter he is to contact Us immediately. Go."

The man in question said, "Yes, Ma'am," bowed, and fled the room.

Turning to look back at Harry she said, "Lord Potter We would be informed as to how you obtained this information of which you are providing Us now."

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry.

He then turned to the Prime Minister and asked, "Mister Prime Minister, may I have the message cube, please?"

The Prime Minister hesitated a moment before he reached into the pocket of his suit jacket and wordlessly handed Harry the cube he drew from within.

Harry then stood up and stepped forward to the goblin's box, which was still sitting on the little table upon which it was first placed and remained during the rite of inheritance.

He placed the cube on top of the box, looked back up at the Queen said, "Your Majesty, this is a message from the person whom I'm proud to call my tutor, my mentor, and my friend. He is the first person to ever hold the position of Royal Wizard in England. It is _he_ who set me on the path I now tread.

With that, Harry reached out with his right index finger, tapped the top of the cube twice and said, "Begin!" before stepping back and resuming his seat.

The space above the cube shimmered slightly and an image of Myrrdin appeared facing towards the Queen.

"Your Majesty," said Myrrdin, "my name is Myrrdin Emrys, I have been called many names, but you may know me as Merlin Ambrosius."


	4. Merlin's Message

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Four - Merlin's Message

Harry watched the sudden shock ripple across the Queen's retinue, but wasn't surprised by the lack of response from the Queen other than a slight twitch in her eyebrows.

"I have been called a druid, magician, mage, seer, sorcerer, legend, fantasy and," Myrrdin smiled, "an old fraud. What I am - or was, from your point of view in 1991 - is a druidic mage and seer.

"Please be aware young Harry can pause, or end, this message at any time. You've only but to ask him.

"By now, young Harry has given you a great deal of information concerning what is happening in the wizarding world in your time. He will have also given you some information on the other heirs. And, by now, you will be wondering just how it is he knows what he does.

"The answer is simple. I told him. And we investigated matters further, together.

"Normally, I do not take an active role in the affairs of man. I remain conscious at all times of the paradoxes involved with... fiddling... with the time streams. However, while messing with the time streams is dangerous, watching what happens across time, is not.

"Many, many years ago - or a few moments ago - it depends on your point of view of time," Myrrdin smiled again, "I became aware that a manipulative old know-it-all wizard who goes by the name of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, had learned of part of a prophecy and - full of his own pride, arrogance and overweening self importance - decided to use what he learned and shape events to fit what he thought _should_ happen.

"He developed a plan, shaped around what he believes or believed, is 'The Greater Good'. It was designed to make the prophecy come out the way he thought it should. Instead, he set in motion a chain of events that, if I had not stepped in, would have resulted in a world-wide wizard war that would have cost billions of lives, both magical and mundane. Quite possibly, almost probably, it would have driven the world to almost total annihilation.

"If, on the other hand, he had left things alone - or will have left things alone - then an evil man would have been destroyed, and the one who did it - young Harry here - would have gone on to unite the magical world under a... banner... of equal opportunity for all. He would have brought that world's... unlawful and unfair laws and behaviour... back under control; and the magical world would have been a very happy and safe place for folks to be.

"That was to be young Harry's destiny... until Dumbledore interfered. So, I felt I had to... take steps. However, I could not and cannot take steps directly due to one of those irritating time paradoxes I mentioned.

"In simple terms, what I did was create what Harry calls a 'pocket reality'. It is a place outside of time and outside of your reality. In that reality I made time run at slightly less than half the rate it does in normal reality.

"I then grabbed from your reality of 1984, a house elf Harry was supposed to rescue from his abusive magical master in late May 1993. I brought him into the pocket reality, showed him the information leading up to and beyond May 1993, freed him of the magical bond that forced him to serve his abusive master, and asked if he would be willing to take Harry's place as a... magically altered doppelganger... and continue life as Harry would have done if I had not removed him.

"If I had not removed him, the Dursleys would have continued to abuse him; lock him for days on end in the cupboard under the stairs; clothed him only in hand-me-downs from his much larger cousin; allowed him to eat little more than table scraps; and forced him to do all the household chores including caring for the gardens, the cooking, the laundry, cleaning the house from top to bottom, and any other chore they could image for him.

"During this time he would have been constantly physically abused with beatings by his uncle and his cousin. A cousin who is constantly spoiled by both his parents who has now become nothing more than an overweight brat and bully. His Aunt, once Harry was able to dress and toilet himself, would never touch him again. And would even encourage the beatings he received."

When Myrrdin started describing what Harry's life was going to be like Harry began to, at first, wince, before finally dropping his head into his hands and moaning slightly.

"As it was I rescued Harry on his fourth birthday. At that time he was malnourished - his eyesight was becoming poor as a result, which would have led to him needing spectacles - was undersized, had sore hands from constantly weeding garden beds, was covered in bruises, had a mild concussion from a beating from his uncle the evening before, and was under the impression his name was 'Freak' because that was the only name they called him, and had damage to his magical core that would have weakened his magic. His weakened magical core would have, in part, led to him being unable to fulfil his role in prophecy.

"If I know Harry as well as I believe I do, and I know I do, right now he's currently wishing I would just shut up about it. So, I will, for now. Though I've told him this many times, he has no reason to feel embarrassment about how the Dursleys treated him, and _would_ have treated him."

Harry glanced at the Queen to see how she was handling this. What Harry saw was his Monarch, looking like she was ready to commit murder on the spot. And Her remaining retinue were in a similar state. So were the goblins.

He then wondered if the Prime Minister was going to give his little 'calm yourself', speech to his Queen. Instead, a quick glance across at the Prime Minister, showed the man was also staring bug-eyed at the image of Myrrdin and he was looking quite choleric with rage.

"Now, please don't concern yourself about the little house elf, Dobby, who has taken his place," Myrrdin continued. "A house elf is able to take and handle much more abuse than a small child. He has his own brand of magic which allows him to almost instantly heal his injuries and he's able to make the Dursleys believe through minor illusions that his body is... suitably... battered and ill-treated.

"Further, while Dobby is a volunteer, he is also able to leave the Dursleys at any time if he feels unable to continue with the charade. That he hasn't yet is testimony to his bravery and dedication to Harry. Dobby may be... just... a house elf. But he's also one of the bravest people I have ever met.

"Though Harry would rather forget about the Dursleys and just let the matter go I, for one, will not countenance such treatment of a child. I ask that you have them suitably dealt with after, but not until, 1st September. We desperately need the charade to continue until then. Your law enforcement investigators will find signs of 'his' abuse in the cupboard under the stairs, from interviews of their neighbours, and from his school at Little Whinging Primary.

"Now for why Dobby had to take his place instead of just taking Harry. Dumbledore has set upon the Dursley residence spells and charms that allow him to monitor Harry and the household. He did this to ensure Harry was right where he wanted him to be so that when he has Harry... rescued... Harry will look upon him as his saviour, making him more malleable to Dumbledore's manipulations.

"That's right, Dumbledore knows full well what the Dursleys are doing to Dobby, who he believes is Harry. While Dumbledore would never directly kill another person, or abuse another person, he is more than happy for another person to commit such acts so long as he could justify it to himself as being for what he calls 'The Greater Good'.

"I now return to Harry himself; the real Harry.

"As I said, I took him from the Dursleys during the early hours of his fourth birthday. After I healed him I began to prepare him. But, while he was still a small child, I also made it fun for him. I made sure his childhood was a very happy one.

"One thing I did to him just after he arrived in the pocket reality and I healed him, was slow his physical growth and development to match the rate at which time was slowed. That way he would not leave the pocket reality looking like a young adult. Instead, he looked - looks - like a normal, healthy, happy and well-rounded eleven year old.

"However, I allowed his intellectual, emotional, spiritual and magical cores to develop normally. That is why he probably looks to you, if you think about it, like a nineteen year old, or someone even older, trapped in an eleven year old's body.

"And now for the full prophecy which, other than about the pocket reality, Harry believes was about the only thing I was going to tell you about."

Suddenly the image of Myrrdin seemed to jump to one side, and another image of lines of text slowly started to scroll up the screen.

Myrrdin, though, began to speak in a deeper voice. "_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. Before two more hands of full turnings shall pass … The one with the power will come forth from whence he has been lost. He shall be joined by loyalty … He shall be joined by wit … He shall be joined by resolve. The four are rejoined! They shall defeat evil and restore order to magical kind._"

The words continued to scroll up the screen before fading out at the 'top'.

Back in his normal voice Myrrdin said, "Now to translate." And the prophecy once more began to scroll up the screen. But this time much more slowly.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..._ that could be anyone at this point.

"_Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..._ That could have meant Harry or young Neville Longbottom.

"_And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal..._ Now that's definitely Harry. The scar on his forehead was from Riddle trying to kill him in his crib on the night of 31st October 1982. The mark left by Riddle of a killing curse that rebounded and... temporarily... killed Riddle.

"_But he will have power the Dark Lord knows not..._ According to Dumbledore, that's the power of love. The love of his parents that saved him from the killing curse. And the love he has for others now. Dumbledore is wrong.

"_And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives._ He will either kill Riddle, or Riddle will kill him. So, yes; Harry has to kill Riddle to save the world.

"_Before two more hands of full turnings shall pass..._ A decade in normal space time.

"_The one with the power will come forth from whence he has been lost..._ That's Harry, again, but coming out of hiding.

"_He shall be joined by loyalty..._ That's Hufflepuff.

"_He shall be joined by wit..._ That's Ravenclaw.

"_He shall be joined by resolve..._ That's Gryffindor

"_The four are rejoined!..._ That means Harry will be Slytherin. But to be properly rejoined they will have to come together where the four founders parted. That's Hogwarts. The first time that can occur will be the evening of 1st September 1991 when all four walk in together into the Great Hall at Hogwarts, when all first year students are sorted into their Houses.

"_They shall defeat evil and restore order to magical kind..._ Harry will defeat Riddle and the four of them working together will destroy any other evil, including Dumbledore's brand of it, before they then go on to fix the problems in the magical world bringing true law and order... restore order... back to all the magical races."

The second image then disappeared and Myrrdin's image jumped back to its original spot.

"Pause the message, Lord Potter!" the Queen called out.

Harry jumped up and quickly stepped forward reaching out to tap the top of the message cube.

"Now, as to...," Myrrdin's message continued just as Harry tapped the cube and said, "Pause!"

This left Myrrdin's image paused similar to a DVD player.

"Your Majesty?" asked Harry.

"Lord Potter," She calmly said. "We are not someone to put much faith in prophecies. However, according to what We have just heard, if you do not... kill... this Riddle person..."

"Tom Riddle; yes, Ma'am," said Harry, interrupting.

"Tom Riddle. Then the world, as We know it, will be destroyed," continued the Queen. "We do _not_ like the sound of that."

'That's an understatement', Harry thought.

"As the one upon whom all this hinges; and the one who, in the other timeline where Dumbledore meddled, would have been killed soon after his... my... seventeenth birthday and failed; neither do I, Ma'am."

"We are beginning to more than suspect you and... Merlin... have a plan to deal with this," She mused.

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Harry. "And I'm hoping Myrrdin's message get's on with it and discloses it to you. Because I'd rather you be upset with him about what he's done than with me. I don't think there's much to go now, Ma'am."

"Very well," said the Queen. "Continue."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry before reaching out and once more tapping the top of the cube and saying, "Play!" before heading back to his seat.

Myrrdin's message then continued, .".. your role in this. Please, do not worry, you're going to like this."

But Harry could see a fair bit of consternation ripple across the Queen's people. No one messes with their Monarchy.

"Back in April of 1910 I organised for an old wizard of that time to cast upon the Crown a spell that is linked directly to the House of Windsor and would imbue the person so crowned certain magics of their own," continued Myrrdin. "You may think of these magics as Royal Magics.

"The magics include subtle charms relating to compulsion, which compels your subjects to obey you when you push with your magic; charisma, which will lead your subjects to really like you, if not love you; and magical compulsion, which means your magical subjects will _have to_ obey your commands when given.

"However, to stop the wizarding world becoming aware of this, I made the radius of the effect of the charms quite short. In you, it should be about 100 yards. And that is _way_ beyond the effective spell range of a wizard.

"Further, the spell is most effective upon magical folk, including wizards. Even wizards highly skilled in Occlumency, the shielding of the mind, will be affected. In effect, no magical being within range of you and under compulsion can do you harm or disobey your lawful commands."

Myrrdin paused to think for a bit and then said, "Perhaps I should also clear something up here. All of the House of Windsor, from George the Fifth on, has these magics inert within them. However, it is only the ceremony in which the rightful heir is crowned, that activates it. It is magic linked by blood.

"I debated whether or not you should be informed you had this power. I was, at first, against it. Knowledge of the power could conceivably corrupt you; and you did not need to know about it for it to be effective. However, Harry insisted and said he would inform you if I did not. He also felt I should be the one to tell you as I was the one who did it to your House.

"As for why I did it. Harry and the other heirs are going to have a hard enough time setting things to rights in the wizarding world as it is. Harry and the other heirs will need the power of your authority over the wizarding world - to drag them kicking and screaming in opposition in some cases - to get things back on track sooner than would have occurred in the original timeline.

"Harry is working on an accelerated timeline here from the original. In the original, before Dumbledore interfered, the four heirs of the founders, the Earldoms, would have taken up their rings on their seventeenth birthdays; when they reach their majorities under wizard law. And they would have spent the next half century _at least_ setting the wizarding world back to rights.

"However, since I had to take a more active role than just monitoring, then we're going to fix things faster. It will save many lives that would have otherwise been lost. Especially, those of children and mundanes.

"I'll leave it to Harry to tell you about bringing balance back to the timeline. He'll also be able to answer any questions you may have.

"He is loyal to the Crown, Your Majesty. He will do your bidding without question. But he and I have also spent years planning how to bring balance back to magical Britain and the world. I ask you to heed his counsel."

Myrrdin then bowed, and the image then winked out.

The room was silent for a few moments until the Queen, having gathered her thoughts, spoke, "We are not happy to hear of tampering occurring with the blood of the House of Windsor, My Lord."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Harry said. "But I think I need to clear up a couple of things Myrrdin said and I will then show you at least part of the effect of the Royal Magic."

The Queen just gave Harry a slight nod to continue.

"The magical world think it is blood itself involved; and, as such, they refer to it as blood magic. However, it's actually the DNA contained within the blood to which these forms of magic are linked," explained Harry. "If it was just the blood then it would not be passed on to each successive generation. But, as it's linked to the DNA of the person, it _can_ be passed on.

"That is how the goblin's rite of inheritance is able to determine someone's bloodline. They just further use the plasma in the blood to spread the red blood cells across the page to form the words."

Harry paused to check that the Queen understood before moving on.

"As for a demonstration of your magic in use you will notice Director Ragnock and Grunnark are still here and haven't moved much," said Harry indicating the two goblins.

"I and Sir Kingston are much more affected by your magics that any mundane human as we are partly magical. The goblins, however, are far more magical so it affects them even more.

"Now, goblins are a proud warrior race, as Sir Kingston said earlier. In goblin culture, in a time of war, Director Ragnock would be a war chief of his clan.

"And yet he, and Grunnark twice, both did not hesitate before kneeling before you. He would never do this to anyone else, include Prince Charles, Ma'am."

Harry was watching the two goblins to see their reactions on hearing this. Harry thought both had expressions of shock on their faces; but it was hard to tell with goblins.

"Further, the goblins have now channelled their warrior... spirits... into the banking world. They have pretty much dedicated themselves to the... war of the boardroom... and making money.

"Both would, right now, much rather be back at the bank running businesses and making money. And yet, neither has sought to leave. And, finally, the goblins are very avaricious. Yet they have not charged you for the service they have performed today."

The Queen thought about what Harry said for a moment before turning to face the goblins.

"Director Ragnock," she asked. "Do you feel this... compulsion?"

"I had not noticed it until Lord Potter mentioned it, Your Majesty," he replied. "But, yes. I can sense it now it has been brought to my attention. It is very subtle."

The Queen again hesitated for a moment before she said, "Then We apologise to both of you, Director Ragnock. We have unknowingly kept you and Grunnark from your... endeavours. Please inform Us of a suitable fee for your service here this day and you shall be duly awarded."

The old goblin merely bowed before the Queen went on.

"We shall shortly be in need of your services, yet again, when the other heirs are brought before Us. Will you avail of Us your services at that time?"

"I would be honoured, Your Majesty," the old goblin said bowing again.

"We thank you," said the Queen said. "We shall call then."

Both goblins then bowed.

Seeing his opportunity Harry then said, "Director Ragnock."

The old goblin turned to him and waited.

"You have also done a great service for me, today. Please take a suitable fee, plus ten percent as bonus, from my vaults as recompense."

"It shall be done, My Lord," the old goblin said.

"And may I ask, what was the phrase you used to floo into this room?" asked Harry.

"Buckingham Palace, My Lord."

Harry nodded in response, then said, "Then, may gold flow as rivers into your vaults; and what few remain of your enemies tremble at mention of your name."

The old goblin was a little surprised but clearly pleased before formally replying, "And may our business together prove most fruitful for us both and line our pockets with gold."

He then gestured to Grunnark who stepped back up to the box, carefully moved the message cube to one side and took up the box between his hands before heading back to the fireplace. Ragnock hesitated for a moment before he said to Harry, "There is still the matter of the business we would discuss with you. And, now that you are emancipated, there's the matter of the Potter Will."

"The Potter Will?" asked Harry, surprised.

"Yes, My Lord," he replied. "The Will of your parents, James and Lily Potter."

"I was unaware of a Will, Director," said Harry. "Could you bring it with you when Her Majesty next calls upon you?"

"Of course, My Lord," the old goblin replied before bowing once to Harry, then turning to bow once more deeply to the Queen. He then turned on his heels and strode back to the fireplace to join Grunnark, before both then left.

Harry then turned to the Queen who asked, "We would know what that was about gold and enemies, My Lord."

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "It is a goblin greeting to mention something about them getting more gold, and harm coming to their enemies. Few folk in the magical world bother to even learn of it. Silly of them, really; as the goblins will respond better to you if you do.

"You would have noticed Director Ragnock did not mention the Potter Will until I gave the goblin the greeting of parting?"

The Queen nodded.

"The goblins are scrupulously honest, but they will not often freely give information unless pressed for it," said Harry.

"We see," replied the Queen.

Hesitating for a moment Harry said, "There is also one other example of your Royal Magic you caused to occur today you should know, Your Majesty".

"Yes?" asked the Queen.

"The goblins were going to give me the heir's ring for the House of Slytherin after the rite of inheritance as, under magical law, I am... or was... not permitted to take up the Head of House ring until I come of age on my seventeenth birthday, or my magical guardian emancipates me," said Harry.

"It is Our purview as to when one of Our peers is recognised, Lord Potter," said the Queen.

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "And that's what I'm referring to. When you said, 'by Our command you will take up your Earl of Slytherin and other rings', your magic overrode the magic denying me the Head of House ring. In response the magic that protects the rings, and the magic of the rite of inheritance document, did the only thing they could; they recognised you as my Queen emancipating me and the words on the document of the rite of inheritance changed from Heir of House Slytherin and House Potter, to Head of House Slytherin and House Potter."

The Queen then looked down at the document before Her and mused, "We see."

"As for the state of the three magics Myrrdin mentioned," Harry went on. "The charisma and magical compulsion are always 'on'. The normal compulsion for mundanes, isn't. Mundanes can, with enough determination and focus, disobey you. However, enhanced emotional states, such as you getting angry, will make the passive compulsion component active; and make the other two flare up stronger. At that point _none_ of your subjects will be able to disobey you. And that is why Myrrdin was hesitant in telling you."

"Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely," said the Queen.

"That was Myrrdin's argument; yes, Ma'am," said Harry.

"We understand, Lord Potter," the Queen said. "We thank you for your trust and loyalty to Us in informing Us of this."

"Your... welcome, Your Majesty," Harry hesitantly replied.

"Now, We would know more of this information you were providing Us while We awaited the goblins, My Lord," the Queen said. "We feel We should hear this before We hear of your plan."

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "I had reached the point where Dumbledore learned that Voldemort knew of the prophecy, or at least part of it, and he sent both sets of parents into deep hiding. The Longbottoms and the Potters.

"As Lily Potter was mundane born she had been raised for her early years in the mundane world. She would also, during her time at Hogwarts, go back to visit her parents and other family members. Her parents met my father on a couple of occasions over holiday periods but, sadly, they did not live long enough to see their daughter wed.

"Based on her knowledge of the mundane world, Lily took her husband and the Longbottoms into the mundane world to hide. To hide even further they set aside their wands and did their best to live as mundanes would. That is, just like any other normal British subject.

"Though they were in fear of their lives they had fun. Electric lights, telephones and the television, for example, amazed the Longbottoms, while James tried to made it seem like it was all 'old hat' to him - based on the times he had holidayed with the Evans's.

"When both women went into labour at almost the same time. It was Lily who managed to get them all to a local mundane hospital through mundane means in time for the babies to be born. This is why the birth records of Neville and I show us as being born at the same hospital.

"The Potters and Longbottoms remained with their babies in the mundane world for about another fourteen months. By then they felt they should be safe enough to return to the magical world. They still took protections, however.

"The Potters then went into hiding within the magical world. They moved into a small cottage in Godric's Hollow and asked Dumbledore to place the cottage under a spell called a Fidelius Charm. It made the cottage invisible to all eyes including magical. However, the spell requires someone to be what is called a 'Secret Keeper', that is someone who knew the location and was the only one who could speak of it.

"The Potter's asked my Godfather, Sirius Black, to be their 'Secret Keeper' but he refused. He argued that he was their closest friend and, as such, would be the obvious person to be the 'Secret Keeper'. At the last minute he convinced them to name another member of the Order, Peter Pettigrew, to take his place. Reluctantly, they agreed. It was their greatest mistake."

As Harry was talking there was a knock on the door. One of the retinue reluctantly hurried over to it and looked outside. They were handed what looked like another document folio and returned to the Queen's desk offering it to her.

Harry paused while the Queen looked inside of it for a moment, flicking through a few pages, before closing it again and motioning for Harry to continue.

"Pettigrew was Riddle's spy in the Order. Less than a week later, late in the evening of 31st October 1981, Pettigrew led Riddle and a small group of his Death Eaters straight to the Potter cottage. After quietly laying a network of spells preventing the people inside from leaving, they attacked. James was downstairs and was the first to be killed, trying to defend his family. Lily was upstairs in the... my... nursery. Hearing the fighting downstairs she quickly placed me in my crib, which was heavily warded with ancient magics, of which she had an affinity.

"Moments later, with my father already dead, Riddle and a couple of his followers burst into the room. They quickly killed my mother. Riddle, remembering what he knew of the prophecy, ordered the others to hold their fire against me.

"Standing right in front of the crib he launched his favourite killing curse straight at my head."

Harry heard a couple of gasps from the retinue, who were still standing after all this time.

"However, this is when the magics my mother, Lily, had cast upon me and my crib activated.

"For the first time that anyone knew the curse was blocked, and it bounced. In so doing, it left this scar above my eye," Harry said pointing up to the scar on his forehead.

"The curse bounced right back at Riddle... and killed him.

"However, Riddle's spirit did not leave this plane of existence. Instead, it rendered him down to spectral form - a wraith - similar to a ghost. Which then fled.

"The Order learned of the attack on the Potter cottage only moments before it was due to occur. My godfather, Sirius, was the first on the scene. He arrived only moments after Riddle was killed and too late to save his best friends.

"Enraged and on his own he went after the Death Eaters. But, as their leader had just been killed, they jumped out of the cottage and apparated away. A difficult spell that allows a person to disappear from one spot and reappear in another place even up to miles away. It requires significant focus to pull it off without being injured or even killed.

"Pettigrew, however, was in a state of near panic. Sirius knew he was the 'Secret Keeper' and, therefore, was the only person who could have led Riddle to the Potter cottage. It also identified him as the spy within the ranks of the Order.

"Due to his panic Pettigrew couldn't apparate. So, he fled on foot, instead. Sirius, still enraged, gave chase. The only thing on his mind was vengeance.

"The chase lasted quite some time. Pettigrew did everything he could to escape Sirius. He was looking for a chance to stop, relax, focus and apparate away. But, Sirius was relentless.

"What Sirius didn't know was, just as he ran off in pursuit of Pettigrew, a few members of the Order had also arrived. They saw Pettigrew running away with Sirius in hot pursuit. They then gave chase of Sirius as they thought he was the Secret Keeper.

"This particular evening was, of course, also the night of Halloween. And there were a fair number of mundanes about in the streets trick-or-treating or visiting each other.

"When Pettigrew couldn't shake Sirius he ran out into the middle of the street amongst the mundanes and cast a spell called a Blasting Hex to open up the sewers below him. The size of the blast he cast killed thirteen mundanes who were going about their normal social lives. As wizarding folk are built of sterner stuff, both he and Sirius where only knocked off their feet. Sirius was knocked semi-conscious. Pettigrew lost the little finger off his left hand from a piece of flying debris.

"Pettigrew then used the opportunity to change into his animagus form, a rat, and disappeared down the sewers."

The Queen interrupted, asking, "An... animagus, Lord Potter?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "An animagus is a wizard who can change into an animal of some kind. The wizarding world think it is a rare gift. Anyone who can do it is required, under wizard law, to have their form registered with them.

"What the wizarding world do not understand is that _any_ wizard or witch can do it. All it requires is much study and meditation to, first, learn of what form your animagus takes - it's different for each - and, second, to develop the skill to actually change to that form. While in that form the wizard or witch retains their human mind but for all other purposes is the animal.

"Once they change to that form and back again it becomes successively easier each time they do it, until it reaches the point where all you need to do is think to change and you will.

"Pettigrew, my father and Sirius were all friends in the same year at Hogwarts and studied hard and meditated long to learn their forms and be able to do it. My father and Sirius accomplished it in their fifth year; Pettigrew accomplished it in their sixth year.

"Pettigrew, of course, took the form of a brown rat. My father took the form of an antelope. And Sirius took the form of a big, shaggy wolfhound. The animagus form will always be a creature that most closely represents the character of person who seeks it.

"None of them registered their animagus forms with the Ministry. As war had already broken out they kept their animagus forms secret, so as to be a useful skill in spying for the Order. The other members of the Order knew but also kept it quiet. As Pettigrew's form was a rat, I'm still surprised no one in the Order suspected he was the spy."

"Have you learned this skill, Lord Potter?" asked the Queen, again interrupting.

Harry was not surprised she asked. He was actually expecting it.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he quietly replied.

"May We see it?" she asked.

He sighed a little but answered, "Of course, Your Majesty."

He then stood up and moved a little away from the Prime Minister and gave himself a little more distance from the Queen.

While moving away he said, "I ask that everyone in the room please understand that I retain my human mind and that I will cause no harm to anyone. Please don't... shoot me."

"Fear not, My Lord," said the Queen.

Harry then crouched down on the floor a little, before he then suddenly leapt straight up. When his feet reached a couple of feet off the floor he changed. With a flash, where once was a boy of almost eleven years of age, now hovered on beating wings what appeared to be a horned owl with a body of rich earth browns, a black head and wingtips. No one had ever seen it's like.

Harry then dropped one wing, executed a tight about turn, and flew back down the length of the chamber before banking around and flying back to where he first changed. Hovering again on beating wings.

After a pause he flashed again and Harry, in his human form, dropped the couple of feet absorbing the impact on the balls of his feet.

Then he calmly walked back to his seat.

Everyone else in the room were, to put it bluntly, gobsmacked. Even the Queen sat there with somewhat raised eyebrows.

Harry waited for everyone to collect themselves again. Not surprisingly the Queen was the first to do so.

"A bird, My Lord?" she asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. And, anticipating Her next question, quietly and calmly said, "A bird thought mythical; but just not seen for many thousands of years. My animagus form is that of an earth phoenix."

And, with that, Sir Kingston made a slight "Eep!" sound and collapsed to the floor where he was trying to be inconspicuous against the wall.

All eyes turned on hearing the noise of the poor old wizard's collapse. One of the retinue on the end of the line closest to him hurried over and checked his pulse.

Turning to look at his Queen he said, "He's alive, Ma'am. He seems to have only fainted."

The Queen frowned and said, "Go and get two medical personnel and have him carried off to the hospital ward. His presence here is not required for now."

The first retinue member laid the old wizard out and gently put him in the coma position while another member ducked out the door, obviously heading off to collect such medical personnel.

Turning back to Harry the Queen said, "Thank you for that... very visual display... of your skill, My Lord Potter.

"If there is anyone here who had doubted magic was real and existed," she continued, "We believe you have put those doubts to rest."

"You are most welcome, Your Majesty," replied Harry with a small bow.

"Now that We have reached a break in your tale, My Lord," said the Queen. "We believe you should hear about what MI5 have given Us on your other... heirs; on Our, if your information is confirmed, missing peers."

The Queen looked back down to her notes and said, "We have the addresses and all the details of your young Miss Granger and her family. What you did not inform Us was that Dr Emma Granger, while studying for her undergraduate degree in dentistry, worked part time in the maternity ward at the hospital where you and young Mister Longbottom were born.

"Then Nurse Granger would take her infant daughter with her to work and she would be left in the nursery while her mother worked. We would not be surprised if you and young Mister Longbottom have not already met her; though you all would have been much too young to know."

Harry was completely shocked, "I... did not know that, Your Majesty"

"Then it appears your information is not as complete as We assumed," said the Queen with a smile.

'Hey, I'm only human!' thought Harry.

She then reached out, picked up another slip of paper, wrote a few lines upon it, and handed it off to another in Her retinue. That person then hurried from the room.

"We have sent a car to collect the Grangers and bring them to Our presence," said the Queen looking back at Harry. "We suspect they will be here within the hour."

Harry winced internally hearing that. He had planned to have been the one to collect the Grangers, after first collecting the Longbottoms and Boneses.

"Now, the Longbottoms," said the Queen. "We, of course, have confirmed young Mister Longbottom's birth. We have found no record he has attended one of Our schools, though he is most certainly of age to do so. There are no other records of the Longbottom family even existing.

"We also have city records of the construction of a Longbottom Manor and where it was built," she continued. "However, two of Our constabulary have visited the location where it is supposed to be located and only found a property with... 'a vacant ramshackle house upon it surrounded by a chain link fence'." And looked up at Harry.

"An illusion, Your Majesty," said Harry, understanding the question in the statement. "That's one of the ways wizards hide their presence from the mundane."

The Queen simply nodded once and looked back down at Her notes.

"As you informed Us there are no records of anyone named Bones in the High Stakesby area. However, local records do show information concerning a Bones Manor. Two officers of Our constabulary were sent to investigate this manor, as well, but were unable to carry out their investigation," the Queen read out. "They attended the address given by local records and yet, on attending, found street numbers one, three, five, nine, eleven and thirteen for that side of the street. Number seven, where the Bones Manor is supposed to have been constructed, does not seem to exist.

"When Our constabulary enquired of local residents as to the location of Number seven," the Queen went on, "Most older residents remember there was once a Number seven but no one remembers how it happened to disappear. When pushed for information, the local residents seemed to... 'get confused and wonder what the officers were talking about'."

As the Queen looked back up Harry replied, "An even stronger form of illusion, Your Majesty. In this case they've not only hidden the manor from mundane eyes, they've also hidden the space in which it resides.

"Both manors and the lands on which they sit," continued Harry in explanation, "will also be warded to make mundane folk want to not pay any attention to it. Which is why, in the case of the Bones Manor, your officers were met by confused local residents; and, in the case of the Longbottom Manor, your officers I suspect did not even attempt to enter the property."

"And how are Our people meant to collect these two families if they are unable to even see the doors on which they would have to knock?" asked the Queen.

"I or Sir Kingston will have to go, Your Majesty, to show what has been hidden," replied Harry.

"We take it you can see through these illusions, Lord Potter?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry before continuing, "The illusions are meant for mundane eyes only. Myrrdin and I had anticipated this eventuality and we have an answer to it."

"Enlighten Us," said the Queen.

"Though I cannot apparate directly onto the grounds of the manors, as I do not yet know the nature of the wards that protect them, I can apparate to just outside of each property and, as I can see through the illusions, walk up to the door and knock," Harry explained. "However, though I suspect they will recognise that I am Harry Potter, I do not know if they will come with me back here.

"Further, I suspect that either or both Madam Bones or Madam Longbottom will contact Dumbledore, as he claims to be my magical guardian, to let him know where I am," said Harry. "And, as I've mentioned before, I cannot have Dumbledore know where I am or what I'm doing just yet.

"What I now ask of you, Your Majesty, is to have one of your people, who looks suitably officious, accompany me," Harry explained, "And for that person to bring with them two Royal Writs that would require their presence before you, that they accompany us immediately, and that they contact no one to tell them what's going on."

As Harry explained the Queen was nodding Her head slightly seeming to agree.

"And how long would this take, Lord Potter?" she asked.

"With the Writs I anticipate I should return with both heirs and their guardians within the half hour, Your Majesty," replied Harry.

"The Queen thought for moment, nodded Her head once, and said, "Get Us the papers for the Writs."

One of the retinue near the Queen leaned over slightly towards Her and said, "In your top left drawer, Ma'am."

The Queen removed a couple of sheets of parchment from the drawer, placed them on Her desk and once more took up Her pen.

Before She began to write She looked back at Harry with an expression of slight amusement and asked, "Did this plan of yours include any of Our people, specifically, to accompany you Lord Potter?"

Harry hesitated for a moment before he replied, "I would recommend it be someone with a stout constitution and a most important title, Your Majesty, in order to impress. A stout constitution will be needed as apparating, or other forms of magical travel, can make folks not used to it feel a little... queasy. If there is someone you feel could... deal... with that but does not hold an official title with a grand enough name, might I suggest... 'The Royal Summoner'?"

Clearly quite amused, The Queen looked back at Harry for a few moments. Then She looked back down at the parchments before Her and began to write.

After a few minutes the Queen reached back into Her drawer and withdrew a wax sheet with what appeared to be red wax decals with two short pieces of wide ribbon hanging from each. She affixed one each to the bottom of each piece of parchment.

Again reaching into Her drawer the Queen put the wax sheet back and draw forth two short red ribbons. She then lightly rolled each sheet of parchment and tied a ribbon around each with a nice little bow.

Once She'd done that and had both rolled up and tied sheets sitting on the desk before Her, She quietly called, "Colonel Benton!"

One of the male middle-aged members of Her retinue suddenly blanched. But, after hesitating just a moment, stepped forward, turned slightly towards the Queen, and asked, "Yes, Ma'am?"

"How is your... constitution, Colonel?" She asked.

Again hesitating just a moment the colonel replied, "I am in fine health, Ma'am."

The Queen, looking back at Harry with a small smile, asked him, "Does he appear officious enough to you?"

Harry looked back across at the colonel for a moment, noticing he was dressed in an expensive black business suit with white shirt and a... army regimental tie, before looking back at the Queen.

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry with a smile of his own. "But, if I may make a small change?"

She replied, "You may".

Harry then turned back to look at the colonel. Frowning and thinking for a few long moments. Then he then cast a small transfiguration charm at the colonel.

Suddenly the colonel was wearing a purple silk ribbon about four inches wide as a sash from his right shoulder to where it crossed and was pinned together at his left hip.

Thinking a bit more Harry then placed embroidery of the Royal Crest on the ribbon where it crossed over the colonel's right breast, but angled to be level. Then he added gold embroidered trim a half inch wide on each side of the ribbon. And then a nice clasp where they were pinned together.

The Queen and everyone else in the room watched Harry perform the little pieces of wandless magic and the effect it was having on the colonel. The colonel, after first noticing the ribbon appear, then seemed to close his eyes with a slight look of why-me on his face.

Thinking he'd done enough Harry then turned to the Queen and, indicating how the colonel was now attired, said, "Does this meet with your approval, Your Majesty?"

The Queen thought for a moment before saying, "Our colour is red, My Lord."

"Certainly, Your Majesty," Harry immediately responded.

Another quick flick of wandless magic and the sash was now red.

"Is that all, Lord Potter?" asked the Queen.

"I think that will impress them quite nicely, Your Majesty," said Harry with a grin.

"Then, in that case, you'd best come around before Us, Colonel."

The colonel physically braced himself up and walked... no, marched, Harry thought... to step before his Queen. But not quite as to block Harry's view.

Harry could tell the colonel thought he looked like an idiot. It amused him.

"What is your full name, again, Colonel?" asked the Queen.

"Alexander Edward Benton the Second, Ma'am," replied the colonel.

"Alexander Edward Benton the Second," intoned the Queen. "We hereby temporarily elevate you to the title of... The Royal Summoner.

"Your task is to take these Royal Writs...," the Queen handed the two parchments over to the colonel who took them with his left hand, "... and present them to the children's guardians of Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones. You will accompany them and the children and return here at Our convenience.

"You will hold the title of Royal Summoner until you return here with your charges."

Hesitating a moment the Queen then said, "If you carry out your task with the aplomb and dignity We deem the office requires as Representative of the Crown, We may consider making the position permanent."

"Yes, Your Majesty; thank you, Your Majesty," the colonel formally responded before stepping back and away a bit.

Looking back at Harry the Queen said, "We've never had a Royal Summoner before. We usually just ask for someone to make a telephone call."

Harry just smiled.

"Is there anything else you may need before you... depart?" she asked.

Standing Harry said, "No, Your Majesty. However, I should warn you that when we return with the Longbottoms and Boneses they will probably be dressed quite... oddly. And with a manner to match."

"Oh?" asked the Queen.

"As an example, Your Majesty," explained Harry. "The last time I saw an image of Madam Longbottom she was wearing upon her head a stuffed vulture. She thought it was the height of fashion in the mundane world."

"Why ever would she think such a thing?" asked the Queen quizzically.

"I believe she may have seen a mundane lady wearing a fascinator that had a small bird affixed to it, and she made assumptions from there.

"Further, folk who live more or less constantly in the magical world still believe we live in somewhere around the eighteenth century but that we're very clever and have invented clever toys. They will act accordingly."

"We see," replied the Queen. "Then We shall be prepared. Is that all?"

"Yes, Ma'am"

"Then you may depart," she said. "We shall have tea on your return."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," replied Harry formally bowing. "Please ensure Sir Kingston leaves the wards down so we may return through the fireplace."

"It will be done," She said.

Then looking at the colonel, The Royal Summoner, Harry said, "If you would come over here, colonel? I'll give a short explanation of what is about to happen and then we'll be away."

Harry walked over to where he changed into his animagus form and the colonel walked over to join him.

"Now, Sir," he began, "I want you to stand on my left and put your right hand on my shoulder. You should take a firm grip while I'm going to put my arm around your waist and take a firm grip of you."

The colonel did so.

Everyone else in the room watched with fascination as Harry prepared his 'passenger'.

"Now, what we're about to do is vanish from here and almost instantly appear outside Longbottom Manor in the village of Staining up on the east coast," Harry went on. "In doing that it's going to feel as if someone grabbed you and yanked you through the eye of a needle without harming you in any way. It's going to feel... oogy."

Harry could feel the colonel flinch as he heard that.

"When we arrive you're probably going to stagger forward a bit, so be prepared for it. Plus, due to differences in air pressure between here and there, your ears may pop just as they do when you fly," Harry finished. "Got all that?"

"Yes, My Lord," said the colonel.

"Okay, then," said Harry. "Here we..."

*POP!*


	5. The Colonel's Trip

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Five - The Colonel's Trip

*POP!*

Suddenly, on the footpath of a semi-suburban road in Staining, up on the east coast of Britain, two people appeared out of thin air. No one else noticed. Not that there was anyone around to notice.

Harry had a good grip around the waist of the colonel and, as Harry said he would, the colonel staggered forward a half step. However, it didn't take much effort on Harry's part to hold him from falling over.

"We'd like to thank you for travelling with Harry's Magical Apparations today and hope your trip with us was an enjoyable one," said Harry imitating a commercial airline steward. "Please take care and we hope to see you again soon."

The colonel, bending over at the waist and putting both hands on his knees, moaned, "Oh, God!"

Knowing the colonel had found his balance Harry let him go and stepped slightly apart from him. He didn't want to be... in range... if the colonel suddenly lost his last meal.

"Come now, Colonel," said Harry brightly. "Stiff upper lip, and all that. For Queen and country!"

Still bent over and breathing ragged breaths, the colonel softly asked, "Are you trying to be funny, My Lord?"

"Of course!" replied Harry. "I hoped it would help to take your mind off it."

Not bothering to respond further the colonel waited a few moments more before he slowly rose to stand up straight, squared his shoulders and took another deep breath to settle himself and said, "It didn't."

"Well, Colonel," said Harry. "You handled it much better than I thought you would. Well done!"

"Yes, My Lord," the colonel blandly replied.

Then, looking around he asked, "What now?"

"Well, I know you can't see it, but we're standing right in front of the gates of the manor," said Harry.

No, the colonel couldn't see it.

"What I want you to do is take my elbow as a blind person would and, if you feel it necessary, close your eyes. Then we're just going to walk forward a few steps," instructed Harry.

"It's not going to feel like... that... did, is it?" the colonel asked.

"You should feel a very light tingle on your skin as we step through, but that's all," replied Harry.

The colonel then gave a curt nod, took Harry by a tight grip on his left elbow and closed his eyes.

Harry waited until the colonel was ready and then just walked forward.

As they passed through the wards Harry felt the colonel give a quick clench of his elbow like a flinch. Then he stopped them both.

"Okay, Colonel," said Harry. "You can open your eyes now."

Opening his eyes the colonel looked in wonder at the beautiful home before him. The gardens were immaculate. He was amazed that all this was hidden from him less than six feet behind him.

"A couple of points before we go up to the door, colonel," said Harry. "The Longbottoms will probably have at least one house elf, and the door will be answered by one of them. They're a little shorter and much skinnier than goblins, have very little hair, big bright eyes and floppy ears. Please don't stare."

Glancing back at Harry, the colonel processed that for a moment and gave a curt nod.

"Secondly, please call me Mister Potter at all times until we return to the palace. We wouldn't want to give the game away, just yet, would we?"

The colonel gave another curt nod.

"Okay, then, Colonel," Harry said. "As you're the 'Royal Summoner' this is your work to do, please lead the way. Let's go meet the next Earl of Gryffindor."

The colonel braced himself up, said, "Right," and headed to the door.

Walking up the path Harry kept a half pace back, letting the colonel take the lead.

The colonel knocked three times quite sharply on the door, took half a pace back, almost stepping on Harry's foot, and 'braced up' with the Writs tucked up under his left elbow like a conductor's baton.

A few moments later the door opened to, as Harry suspected, a house elf.

Hesitating barely a moment, the colonel said, "Good day, I am...," before the voice of the house elf rode over the top of him.

"Mistress and young master be here soon," the little elf rapidly gushed. "You be waiting in the parlour."

Then the elf reached out, took the colonel by his right hand and dragged him in through the door.

Harry noticed they were in a large entry hall before the elf led them through a set of folding doors on the left.

"You be waiting here. Can Penny be getting you anything?" the little elf rapidly asked. "And you be so Penny tell Mistress?"

"Errr... No thank you," said the colonel said.

"No thank you, Penny," said Harry. "And please tell Madam Longbottom it's an envoy from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second and Harry Potter."

"Yes, Sirs, you be calling Penny if you be wanting anything bye!" *blink*

And the elf popped away.

Harry, expecting it, then glanced at the colonel to see his reaction.

Still staring at the spot Penny was standing in when she disappeared, the colonel said, "That was..."

"A house elf, yes," finished Harry. "They have magic just as we... sorry... witches and wizards do, but it's as different as it is the same."

"Oh," the colonel softly said.

Harry just grinned at the man, though the colonel didn't look back at him. But, a moment later, the colonel seemed to give himself a little bit of a shake, and then looked around a little.

The parlour, at least, was furnished in what Harry thought of as late nineteenth to early twentieth century. What he knew would be thought of as quite modern in the wizarding world. A large rug on the polished wooden floors, nice overly sprung couches and armchairs, a coffee table between two arm chairs off to one side, and quite a large fireplace on what he knew to be an outside wall.

As they both had a bit of a look around there was a sound from the door leading back to the entry hall. A tall lady carrying herself elegantly walked in. She was dressed in a fashionable scarlet wizard's robe with black trim and very fine black filigree through it covering her torso. And she was advancing with her wand at the ready.

'Nice', he thought. 'Ready for a bit of a quick spell if need be.'

Looking at Harry she said, "Oh, you're young Harry Potter."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry. "And this is..."

"...Colonel Alexander Benton, Ma'am," the colonel cut in nicely. "Royal Summoner and envoy for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second."

'Well done!' thought Harry.

"I have been charged with delivering unto you this Royal Writ," the colonel then said, offering one of the writs towards Augusta.

Augusta hesitantly walked forward and, raising her wand, carefully passed it over the rolled document. Not appearing to find anything that may have been a threat she took it from the colonel's hand.

Taking half a step back she unrolled it and began to read. Reaching the bottom of the document, and without lifting her eyes, she called, "Penny!"

The little elf popped back just near her looking at her, "Yes, Mistress?"

Harry felt the colonel barely flinch. 'Good man', thought Harry.

Looking down at the elf Augusta said "Tell Neville I want to see him."

"Yes, Mistress!" the elf said before suddenly popping away again.

Augusta then rerolled the document and handed it back to the colonel, who reluctantly accepted it.

"What is this about?" she asked the colonel.

Then there came the sound of someone running on carpeted floors and clattering down the stairs in the entry hall. Augusta gave a slight pained look.

"Her Majesty will explain, Ma'am," replied the colonel.

Suddenly, a dusty haired boy with slightly chubby cheeks wearing a plain open black robe dashed into the room.

"You wanted to see me, Gran?" replied the boy before noticing anyone else in the room, "Errr... You asked for me, Grandmother?"

Then he looked at the colonel a bit quizzically before looking at Harry. Clearly startled he said, "You're Harry Potter!"

"Neville!" snapped Augusta.

"Sorry, grandmother," Neville said a bit sheepishly, before looking back at Harry with delight. "The Boy-Who-Lived in our home!"

"Neville," said Augusta, ignoring the last bit, "the muggles' Queenasks us to attend her. Go and put on your best robe and comb your hair. You're the heir of House Longbottom and you will look the part."

Harry felt the colonel stiffen when he heard 'muggles' Queen' and was worried the man would protest. 'Easy, colonel', he murmured.

"Yes, Grandmother," said Neville, before walking quickly out of the room and racing up the stairs.

"If you gentlemen wouldn't mind waiting I won't be long," said Augusta, about to turn around.

"Ma'am, Her Majesty is waiting..." the colonel began to say before Augusta rode over him.

"Yes, yes," she said. "But, it would not do to arrive in less than a presentable state."

Then she turned about in a stately fashion and walked from the room.

After she left out of hearing range, Harry softly said, "Relax, colonel. They mean no harm by it. They just don't know any better."

"My Lord, I find it difficult to... countenance such language against my Queen," the colonel gritted out.

"I know," said Harry sympathetically. "But I have no doubt Her Majesty will very shortly set them straight."

The colonel just 'humphed'.

"There's a reason I said we'd be about half an hour, colonel," said Harry. "I expected this."

More thumping down the stairs announced Neville's return, who then came 'power walking' into the room again. He was wearing a black satin robe and his hair looked wet with comb marks through it.

"Hi, Harry," he said a bit sheepishly, "I'm Neville. I'm very happy to meet you," before blushing a dropping his head a bit embarrassed.

"Neville," Harry calmly said walking a few steps closer to the shy boy. "Your mother was my godmother; and my mother was your godmother."

"Yes?" asked Neville softly.

"As far as I'm concerned, that makes us godbrothers," explained Harry. "You're my brother, Nev. You never need to be shy or embarrassed around me."

Neville snapped his head up to look at Harry with delight. "We're... brothers?" he asked with a bit of wonder in his voice.

"As far as I'm concerned," Harry firmly stated, "Yes!"

Neville's face broke out in a big grin. "I've never had a brother before!" he said a bit excitedly.

"Well, you do now," Harry promptly replied.

A little shy and abashed Neville began to ask a few questions about what Harry had been doing with his life. Harry calmly avoided the questions and was a bit relieved when Augusta returned.

She was now dressed in a satin black robe with frog buttons down the front, with a large hat on her head with a wide white band that also had a few black ostrich feathers stuck in it. And she was carrying a pair of white gloves and a small black clutch.

"Alright, then," she said. "Are we ready?"

"Your pardon, Madam Longbottom," said Harry. "We need to stop by the Bones residence on our way."

"Oh? And why is that?" asked Augusta.

"The colonel," said Harry, nodding a bit towards the colonel, "has a similar writ for Madam Bones."

"Very well," sniffed Augusta. "Shall we floo or apparate?"

"Excuse me, Ma'am," asked the colonel.

"Yes?"

"Is this floo thing anything like... apparating?"

"Heavens, no!" replied Augusta.

"Then, may I ask we go that way?" the colonel asked. "I found the other way... nauseating."

"Ah!" said Madam Longbottom in understanding. "First time, was it?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the colonel replied looking a little ashamed.

"It happens to us all, dear," she said. "Then, I shall floo call and see if Amelia's home."

Walking around the colonel she walked over to the fireplace, reached into an ornamental jar on the mantle and took out a pinch of powder.

She dashed the powder into the fireplace before calling in a clear voice, "Ossary!"

There was a flash and the fireplace was full of green flames.

Thinking it was normal fire the colonel backed off a couple of places. However, he quickly realised there was no heat coming from it.

Bending forward slightly Augusta called, "Hello, this is Augusta Longbottom."

A moment later a female voice replied from within the flames. "Gus?" the voice asked. "It's Amelia here. Is there something wrong?"

"No, dear," replied Augusta. "I have Neville here, and two guests who need to talk to you. May we come through?"

A pause, and then the voice said, "Give me a few moments to open things up a bit. Then you can come through."

"Thank you, dear," said Augusta. "See you in a bit."

Then, standing up, she waved across the flames, extinguishing them.

"Madam Longbottom," Harry spoke up. "The colonel, here, is a mundane. Someone you would call a muggle."

"I suspected as much, Mr Potter," she replied.

Nodding, Harry then said, "This will also be his first time travelling through the floo network."

"Oh!" she said in understanding. "In that case, I shall go through first, the colonel can follow me and you can show him what to do, then you and then young Neville."

"That sounds fine, Ma'am," replied Harry. Turning to look at the colonel, he called, "Colonel."

When the colonel turned to properly look at him, Harry said, "Pay close attention to what Madam Longbottom does and says. When she disappears do the same thing, okay?"

"Yes, My... Mr Potter," he replied a little nervously.

"Don't concern yourself with it, colonel," said Harry comfortingly. "This is much safer than side-along apparating."

The colonel paused a bit before nodding in understanding.

Augusta waited until the colonel turned back before saying, "Here we go, then."

She slowly took a large pinch of floo powder from the ornamental jar, stepped into the fireplace, and said, "Ossary!" throwing the powder down at her feet.

With a flash she appeared to spin in the fireplace a bit before disappearing in a flash of green flame.

Watching Madam Longbottom disappear the way she did gave the colonel a bit of a fright and he hesitated for a long moment.

Then he took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and marched up to the fireplace.

Taking a large pinch, just as he saw Augusta do, he then stepped into the fireplace and turned around to look at Harry.

"Now, Colonel," said Harry, "apparating feels like you're being yanked through a needle; this will feel like you're spinning like a top for about a second and then yanked by your belly button. Wait the second then simply step out. Okay?"

The colonel simply nodded and Harry nodded back in encouragement.

The colonel then closed his eyes and threw the powder down to his feet calling out, **"Ossuary!"**

Flames and a flash and he was gone.

Neville laughed and asked Harry, "Did you see the look on his face?"

Harry turned to look back at Neville with a grin before he stepped up to the fireplace and, pausing a moment to look back at his godbrother, said, "Come on, Nev. We'll go together!"

Neville grinned and hurried forward to stand with Harry in the fireplace.

"Ready?" asked Harry.

Neville nodded back with a grin.

"Ossuary!" Harry called throwing the powder at their feet.

When Harry and Neville arrived at the Bones Manor they landed safely on their feet stepping lightly out onto the carpet. They were just in time to see Augusta help the colonel straighten up. Amelia was standing slightly away to the side with her wand drawn.

'He must have fallen out on arrival,' thought Harry.

"How was that, Colonel?" asked Harry.

Finishing straightening up the colonel said to Augusta, "Thank you, Ma'am. Most appreciated."

And turning about to look at Harry said, "It's fine, thank you."

Before grumbling something under his breath.

Clearly, Amelia must have heard something of what the colonel said as she said, "The one thing it has over one of your Bentley's, sir, is that it's near instantaneous."

Turning suddenly towards Amelia he blushed a little before dropping his head and saying, "I apologise, Madam. I misspoke and should not have done so."

"Accepted," said Amelia. "Now, what can I do for you?"

The colonel, realising his position, said more formally, "Madam Bones, I am Colonel Alexander Benton the Second, Royal Summoner and envoy for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second."

Then, turning to indicate Harry, said, "And this is..."

"...Harry Potter," finished Amelia. "The Boy Who Lived."

The colonel then turned more to stare at Harry before asking, "Is there anyone in this magical world who does not know who you are?"

Harry just smiled and blushed while giving his shoulders a shrug.

The colonel just stared for a moment longer before turning back to Amelia. "Madam Bones, Her Majesty has charged me with delivering unto you this Royal Writ," he formally said before offering it to her.

"A Royal Writ?" asked Amelia, stepping forward and looking at the document in the colonel's hand.

A quick wave with her wand over the document and she reached out with her left hand to take it from him.

She then quickly unrolled it and read it.

"What is this about?," she asked with a frown at the colonel.

"Her Majesty will explain, Ma'am," replied the colonel with a stony face.

"And she wants me to bring young Susan?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Gus?" she asked, turning to Augusta.

"I know as much as you do, 'Melia," replied Augusta.

Stepping forward a bit Harry said, "Madam Bones, I swear to you both on my magic and my life that no harm will come to you, Susan, Madam Longbottom or Neville."

That startled Amelia a bit before she said staring at Harry, "I have no doubt of that, Mr Potter. I merely wish to know more before we go."

"Ma'am," Harry said. "Her Majesty will explain it to you. It is not for us to explain it to you in her stead. However, I assure you, it's nothing bad."

Amelia stared at Harry for a moment more before calling out, "Susan!"

Susan stepped into the room barely a second later. Clearly, she was listening just outside the door.

"Yes, Aunt 'Melia?" she asked.

"Susan! What have I told you before..." Amelia sternly said before stopping with a sigh.

Susan was a slightly chubby girl with long auburn hair tied back in a pony tail and wearing a plain powder blue witch's robe. She, at least, appeared abashed about being caught snooping.

"Quickly go and put something nice on, brush your hair out, and come back here," Amelia instructed her. "We're going to go visit some important folk from the muggle world."

This time, the colonel didn't flinch upon hearing the word 'muggle'.

Amelia, having recently arrived from a meeting in the Wizengamot or other important business was already dressed in finery, for a witch.

"Madam Bones?" asked Harry.

"Yes, Mister Potter?"

"May I ask how you know what a 'Bentley' is?" he asked.

"As Head of the DMLE, and an Auror with a great deal of experience, I've often had to go out into muggle London and elsewhere throughout Britain. You cannot successfully carry out your role as an Auror without having some understanding of the muggle world," she explained.

"I see," said Harry. "So you understand just who Queen Elizabeth the Second is, then?" Harry went on.

"Of course, Mr Potter," she replied. "She is the person who the Prime Minister answers to; and the Minister answers to the Prime Minister."

Frowning a little, Amelia was deep in thought.

"That means," said Harry patiently, recognising that both Augusta and Neville were also paying attention, "Her Majesty is your boss's, boss's boss. Correct?"

Startled a little Amelia said, "Yes... Yes... I suppose she is."

Putting his own two bobs in, the colonel then said firmly, "There is no 'suppose' about it, Madam Bones. Your Minister answers to Her Majesty. He is Her servant.

"And, as you work for your Ministry, you ultimately answer to her."

'Bless his little heart,' thought Harry smiling.

"But, she's a muggle," spluttered Augusta.

Turning to look at her, Harry said, "No, actually, She is not. And, please stop using the term 'muggle' when you're referring to non-magical folk. Either use 'non-magical' or 'mundane'. Do you not see that 'muggle' is actually a pretty derogatory name?"

That had the three magical folk in the room frowning and thinking about what Harry had just said; even Neville. The colonel had also turned to Harry and was smiling a little as he bobbed his head slightly in recognition of just what Harry had done.

Just then Susan came traipsing back into the room dressed in nice robes with her hair freshly brushed and laying loose about her shoulders. She suddenly stopped, looked around at the faces of the others in the room, and said, "What?"

Amelia, snapping out of it, turned to Susan and said, "Susan, we're going to visit Her Majesty, the Queen. While we are there please don't use the word 'muggle'. I'll explain why, later."

"Yes, Aunt 'Melia," replied Susan, clearly wondering what was going on.

"Thank you," said Amelia to her before turning back to the room. "I think that's everything. Will we be floo'ing there?"

"I think that would be best, Ma'am," replied Harry. "I know the palace's wards are still down to allow floo'ing in to the Queen's Audience Room. That will get us straight there."

Then, turning to the colonel, he asked, "Colonel? Floo'ing or apparating?

"Floo'ing!" the colonel quickly said.

"Good choice," Neville piped up with a small smile.

"Right, then," said Harry. "I believe I should go first as they already know me. Then, please send the colonel through."

He waited to see if anyone had anything to say, and said, "The address is 'Buckingham Palace'." He turned and stepped back to the fireplace.

Looking on the mantelpiece he saw a little open container and reached in to it. Taking a large pinch of what felt like floo powder within it and brought his hand out to look. It was, indeed, floo powder.

He stepped in and, hesitating, said, "Want to join me again, Nev?"

"Yeah!" gushed Neville, quickly jumping in beside Harry and wrapping an arm around his waist.

Harry did the same with his off hand, and throwing the powder at their feet, called, "Buckingham Palace!"

Flash!

"Boys!" said Susan with a bit of disgust.

Amelia just snorted a bit with amusement.

# # #

Harry and Neville stepped lightly out of the fireplace where the goblins first arrived.

Neville, looking around, said, "Wow! Big room!"

Without even looking Harry just took an extra step forward and spun around calling, "Nev! Give me a hand to catch the colonel as he comes through."

"Yeah! Sure, Harry," he replied.

A few moments later the colonel flashed into existence and staggered out. Harry and Neville caught him on each side and helped the man to stand up straight. Harry then pulled him a bit further into the room and asked, "You alright, there, Colonel?"

"Oh, God," he muttered. "I quit!"

Harry just grinned at him.

Then, in quick order, the rest came through; Amelia with her wand out, Susan, then Augusta also with her wand out.

"Wands away, please, ladies," said Harry. "You're in Her Majesty's house here. You don't want her bodyguards thinking you're here to do her mischief."

Both, looking around a bit, put their wands away. Both went up the opposite sleeves of their wand hands.

'Interesting,' thought Harry.

Looking around himself for the first time, Harry noticed the room was empty; except for one of the Pages standing just off to the side of them. Clearly the man was waiting for their arrival.

Once Harry looked at him the Page them stepped a few paces forward.

"Is everyone here, My Lord?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," replied Harry. "This is everyone."

Then the Page turned to the colonel and said, "Her Majesty is in the Games Room and asks that your guests join her other guests in the Green Drawing Room for tea."

"Thank you, Peter," responded the colonel.

Then, the colonel turned back to the others and said, "If you would follow me, please?" before heading off out through the door Harry had first entered.

Harry then hung back to shepherd the others out before him. He also noticed the Page had just stepped back and waited.

"Coming?" he asked the man.

The page hesitated for a bit before answering, "No, My Lord, two more guests to arrive, momentarily."

Harry thought about that for a moment before it dawned on him, and he said, "Ah!" Then he turned and followed the others.

Led out through the door and down the hall a bit, Harry could see the others looking about and gawking like tourists. He'd probably be doing the same if he wasn't so focussed on what he was here to accomplish.

The colonel was standing just inside a set of doors near the end of the hall where two other Pages were holding the doors open for them.

Following everyone inside he saw a nice light buffet laid out off to one side with waiters serving tea and light refreshments. The wafting of aromas from the table reached him and made his mouth water. Harry watched as the others were led to seats by wait staff.

'God, I'm starving!' he thought. 'I haven't eaten since I arrived in the park!'

Paying little attention to anyone else he headed directly to the table. He was a boy on a mission!

He was stopped just shy of it by a waiter who said, "Please, take a seat, My Lord. I'll be serving you today."

Frowning with frustration Harry looked around to see who else was there. He noticed the Grangers all sitting together around one side of a large coffee table. Harry could see they were as nervous as cats in a house full of rocking chairs.

'I've got to call them down,' thought Harry.

There were a few spare seats next to Dan, so he took the one closest to him and where he could see the others.

The wait person had obviously followed because he was right near Harry's ear when he asked, "Tea or coffee, My Lord?"

"Tea, please!" replied Harry. "And one of those honking big plates of sandwiches, please. I haven't eaten all day!"

Both Dan and Emma were looking at him with horror. Hermione, sitting opposite, was just grinning at him.

"Very good, My Lord," the wait person said, departing.

"You know what it's like, Sir," he said to Dan. "March when you're ordered, fight when you have to, eat and sleep when you can."

Dan snapped his head towards Harry before pausing to frown at him. He didn't say anything, though.

"I know a lot, Sir," said Harry having fun sounding all mysterious.

Now that all the heirs were in the palace, and knowing what was about to happen, Harry felt he could relax a little bit.

A few moments later, the wait person was back placing a tray bearing a tea cup and saucer with a couple of lumps of sugar on the side, a small pot of tea, and a tiny pitcher of milk.

"Oooh!" said Harry leaning forward. "Thank you!"

He quickly made a cup of tea, milk and two sugars, and then lifted the cup and saucer away to sit back and enjoy it; pretty much gulping it down.

"Ahhh..." he said after his first mouthful.

Moments later, the tray was removed and replaced with another bearing a plate with two sandwiches cut into quarters and a bit of garnishing on the side.

"Oooh!" he said again. "Thank you!"

Then he leaned forward, placed the saucer on the tray and grabbed the plate of sandwiches.

Sitting back and placing the plate balanced on one thigh, he grabbed a couple of the small sandwiches and gobbled them down.

Watching him eat for a bit from where she sat on Dan's other side, Emma slowly started to frown. Dan appeared a little amused.

'At least all three of them are slowly getting over their nervousness', thought Harry.

"Young man," called Emma. "Please try to remember where you are!"

Swallowing as fast as he could what he had in his mouth, Harry innocently asked, "Sitting in a chair eating lunch?" Then immediately stuffed more sandwich into his mouth.

Dan snorted and tried not to laugh. He was mostly successful.

Emma, however, frowned at him even deeper.

Swallowing again, Harry said to Emma, "Doctor Granger, I really haven't eaten anything since early this morning. And I may not get another opportunity until this evening. I'm a growing lad, I need to eat!" Then stuffed more sandwich in.

Snorting again, Dan was now quietly chuckling away, trying not to with the back of his hand over his mouth, and turning red in the face.

Hermione, grinning even more, asked him, "Can I have one?"

Harry looked at her for a moment, then stuck his hand in the air and got the attention of one of the waiters. When he noticed one looking at him, he said, "Would you please organise a similar plate for Lady Granger and her parent's? Thanks!"

The waiter bowed in returne before turning away to assemble a plate for her.

Shortly thereafter a small plate of sandwiches was placed before Hermione. She picked it up and was happily eating one of the quartered sections.

About a minute later, Susan came over, dragging Neville with her. They plopped into the last two seats, as children are wont to do, next to Harry.

"Hey Harry," asked Susan. "Can I have one?"

"Hmm?" asked Harry, mouth full of sandwich.

"Can I have one?" Susan asked again.

Carefully swallowing again, Harry looked up and, again getting the notice of one of the wait staff, gestured for the man to come over. "Yes, My Lord?"

"Could we have a plate for Susan here..."

"Me too, please, Harry," Neville cut in.

"... and for Neville?"

"Of course, My Lord," the man bowed slightly before moving away.

Harry, in the mean time, had drunk a few large mouthfuls of tea before haring in to another sandwich.

Then he leaned forward while chewing and placed his empty teacup on the coffee table and sat back again.

Things had began to click for Dan, by this time, however.

"Son," he asked Harry directly, "how do you know who we are?"

Harry quickly swallowed what was in his mouth, polished off the last of his tea, and asked, "What do you mean, Sir?"

"You spoke to my wife by her title and name," said Dan.

To which Harry replied, " Because I'm the one who caused you to be brought here?"

Then, before Dan could ask any other question, Harry quickly stuffed another sandwich into his mouth.

Ignoring that fact Dan more directly asked anyway. "And, just why is that?"

Meanwhile, the wait person came back with plates of sandwiches for Susan and Neville placing them on the table in front of them.

Looking up, and deliberately ignoring Dan's question, Harry said to the wait person, "May I have another cup of tea, please? Oh, and I think the Grangers need their cups topped up."

"Certainly, Sir," the wait person said with the hint of a smile on his lips.

Without even thinking, both focused on Harry, Dan and Emma offered up their teacups and saucers.

"Now, young man," said Dan, "just why is it that you caused us to brought here?"

"Ah, Ah, Ahhh!" said Harry waggling a finger in the air. "That would be telling. I'll leave that for Her Majesty to decide when you know."

Dan just frowned, clearly not happy.

Tea was brought back for the Grangers and Harry, who set about making another cup for himself.

Harry, relenting a bit, sat more upright and said, "It's nothing bad, I promise. Hermione's going to love this."

Harry then looked at Hermione and said with a grin, "Get your Hogwarts letter yet, Hermione?"

Hermione suddenly sat bolt upright and exclaimed, "You, too?"

Her parents were quite startled with the question and nearly spilled their teas.

"Isn't it great? I had no..." Hermione began to gush.

Harry suddenly put his finger to his lips and said, "Shhh! Remember what Professor MacGonagall said to you. There are people in this room who do not know." And indicated the wait staff.

Hermione's mouth shut with an almost audible snap.

"But, perhaps I should at least introduce my two friends here," said Harry continuing. "Sitting next to me is Susan Bones, and next to her is Neville Longbottom. They, too, will be attending Hogwarts this year. All four of us will be First Years together."

Harry waited for that to sink in a little before continuing, "Susan and Nev; this is Hermione Granger and her parents Dr Daniel Granger and Dr Emma Granger. They are mundanes but, as you've no doubt guessed, Hermione is not."

A round of hellos later, looking at Dan and Emma, Harry said, "Susan's aunt, Amelia Bones, and Neville's grandmother, Augusta Longbottom are old friends and having a chat with Colonel Benton behind you... and no doubt listening in."

"Sir!" they all heard Augusta say with indignation.

"Now, Hermione," Harry said turning to the little witch and ignoring the comments from behind, "I know you found it difficult to make friends at school, but that was only because you're scary-smart. You're so smart it frightened the other children. However, I can assure you, you have three friends right here."

"Really?" the look on Hermione's face was almost heart-breaking.

"Really," replied Harry firmly.

Suddenly, Hermione jumped out her chair, ducked around the table, and just about jumped on Harry giving him in a tight hug. Luckily, his reflexes were quick enough to allow him to get the expensive palace crockery out of the way before she just about dive-tackled him.

"Oof!" exclaimed Harry.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyou!" was all he got out of the lass for a few moments.

Neville was almost openly laughing trying to hide behind his hands, and Susan was simply giggling. Even Augusta, Amelia and the colonel stood to look over the backs of the chairs to see what was going on.

Harry could just see the Granger's over Hermione's shoulder. Her parents, stunned by Hermione's... sudden move... were a bit slow to react.

"Hermione!" said her father firmly. "Don't crush the poor boy to death!"

"Hermione, dear. Please, sit down. Try to remember where you are," said her mother.

After a bit, Hermione climbed off Harry and contritely said, "Sorry." And quickly went back to sit on the edge of her chair.

Then she softly said, "I've just never really had a friend before."

Harry could see the Granger parents were trying to hold back tears; Emma, not so successfully. Their daughter, they knew, was without friends as she frightened the other kids in her school and neighbourhood with how smart she was.

"I think we're..." Harry said before he was interrupted by a soft chime coming from the ceiling high overhead.

"Ah!" said the colonel from where he was still standing over near the two older witches. "Her Majesty is ready for us."

# # #


	6. The Three Heirs' Elevation

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Six - The Other Three Heirs' Elevation

Everybody not yet standing, stood setting aside their plates and cups. The colonel led the group over to a set of doors opposite to the ones in which they entered.

Just shy of the doors, the colonel turned around and said, "Can I have the Grangers in front, here," he said, indicating where he wanted them to stand, "then the Longbottoms; and then the Boneses."

Turning to Harry he said, "My Lord, please bring up the rear."

Harry nodded and helped sort the three groups out. "Children in front, please," he said.

Seeing everyone where he wanted them, the colonel turned and nodded to a Page who was holding a door handle.

The door was opened and the colonel, led by a Page who was standing just inside the door, led his little procession off and turned left just inside the door.

Inside was the Throne Room. There was no one there but the procession was led down the length of the room before coming to a door in the 'back' wall. The Page stopped here and knocked twice sharply on the door.

It was opened from the other side and the Page stepped aside to let everyone through. Harry felt the door closing again behind him.

Ahead, Harry could see the Queen seated on a large chair with a small table to one side. On the opposite side of the table, in a slightly smaller chair, sat the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, watching the small procession with curiosity.

'No desk, this time,' thought Harry. 'And she was also dressed more... regally... with a small diamond tiara on her head. She looks more Queen-ish without overdoing .'

The Queen's small retinue, this time, were standing either side of the room at the front away from where the group entered. The Queen sat alone and apart except for Charles. A very subtle power play.

Harry could also see the goblin's box sitting on a small table in the centre of the room about six feet in front of the Queen. He then noticed the two goblins standing off to one side against a wall.

'Yep,' Harry thought. 'I knew that guy at the fireplace was waiting for the goblins.'

Harry thought he should have warned the Grangers about the goblins. But just hoped they'd handle it well, considering in whose presence they were.

The colonel led his little procession to stand in a line perpendicular to the Queen about six feet shy of the box on its little table.

Then, seeing his charges arranged, turned to face His Queen and formally said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to introduce; Miss Hermione Jean Granger; her parents, Doctor and Doctor Daniel and Emma Granger; Master Neville Longbottom; Madam Augusta Longbottom, his grandmother; Miss Susan Bones; and Madam Amelia Bones, her aunt."

Harry clearly didn't rate a second introduction.

"Thank you, Colonel," the Queen said. "We see you were successful in your task."

Hesitating a moment, She asked, "And did you carry out your task with the aplomb and dignity your office demanded as an envoy of Us?"

"No, Ma'am," bowing his head slightly the colonel replied. "I found the methods of... travel... used quite disconcerting and fell over at least once. I had to be helped to my feet on one occasion and held from falling twice."

"We see," the Queen said. Then, turning to look at Harry, She said, "We would have your opinion of Our Royal Summoner's performance, My Lord Potter."

"Certain..." Harry managed to say before he was interrupted by Hermione down the other end.

"Potter?... _Harry_ Potter?..." she piped up before taking a step forward and looking back down the line. Her sudden outburst and movement shocked everyone else in the room.

"_You're_ Harry Potter?... _The_ Harry Potter?..." she continued with her voice rising in pitch and volume.

Meanwhile Dan, after his initial startlement, looked down at his daughter in horror before quickly glancing up at His Queen. He saw that, while She was a little surprised at Hermione's outburst, She was also a little amused.

"I've read _aaaallllll_ about you..." Hermione continued, looking at Harry before her father's hands suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Hermione!" he hissed in a loud whisper.

"Huh?" she exclaimed, before she quickly glanced up at her father.

Seeing the look on consternation on his face, she snapped her head around to look at Her Queen and blushed furiously.

As her father half dragged, half guided, his daughter back into line she squeaked, "Oh!... Sorry, Y... Your Majesty!" And hung her head feeling thoroughly ashamed as her father tucked her in under his arm.

Down the other end of the line Harry had hung his head and was shaking it backwards and forwards.

"Your Majesty," began Dan, "I apologise on behalf..."

Clearly trying not to smirk, the Queen simply raised Her hand in a stop gesture. Dan shut up immediately.

"Doctor Granger, it is quite alright," She said. "Charles, here, was just as... impetuous... as a child."

The Prince just grinned in response.

If Hermione could have blushed any deeper, she would have.

"It appears, My Lord Potter, you may be more famous than We," the Queen said, then obviously awaited a response.

"Your Majesty, I..." said Harry looking up and back at the Queen and squaring his shoulders. "I know of at least seven books supposedly written about my life by one author alone. It's all pure fantasy, of course."

Waiting a few moments the Queen said, "We see."

Hesitating a few moments the Queen said, "Now, My Lord Potter, We believe you were about to answer Our question."

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry said mentally preparing his answer. "Colonel Benton was, of course, completely inexperienced in both side-along apparating, the method used when we left here, and floo travel, the method we used travelling from the Longbottom Manor to the Bones Manor and back to here.

"Due only to his inexperience he stumbled a couple of times on exit. However, I feel he represented the Crown with the dignity and aplomb you required, and quickly accepted the... unusual... experience the environment presented him."

The Queen nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, My Lord Potter, for your appraisal."

Harry just gave a slight bow in response.

Then, turning to the colonel, she said, "Colonel, We find Ourselves impressed with Lord Potter's report of you, and your own humility. We would discuss this more with you at a later time."

"Thank you, Ma'am," the colonel responded with a formal bow.

"Now," She said sitting up just a little straighter. "Just what do Our other guests understand of this matter?"

"Only that you have asked for their attendance, Ma'am," the colonel replied more easily.

The Queen simply nodded. Turning to scan her eyes on the others in the line, she said, "We have called you here to seek... clarification... of matters most important to Us and the realm.

"To that end," she continued, "we have asked the goblins to attend us to apply their magics. Through their magics we shall have Our answers."

Pausing for a moment she said, "Neville Francis Longbottom, Susan Charity Bones and Hermione Jean Granger..."

She hesitated slightly, glancing at Harry as she did, before saying more firmly, "By Our command as your Sovereign, We require you to undergo the Rite of Inheritance at this time."

Looking back down the line, Harry watched as the shock of the Queen's words hit Neville, Susan, Augusta and Amelia. The Grangers, however, simply looked quite puzzled.

It was Augusta who spoke up first, "But... But... Your Majesty!" she spluttered, "Such a thing is not done until the children..."

Again, the Queen held up her hand stopping the person speaking in mid sentence. Augusta appeared quite stunned that she couldn't speak with her mouth opening and closing.

"By Our command, Madam Longbottom," said the Queen firmly before then saying. "We have the right."

Harry was just grinning, watching the Queen assert her magical authority on the... event.

'Wow! Fast Learner!' he thought, with a grin.

Once the line had settled again, she turned to the goblins and said, "Director Ragnock; Grunnark; if you would."

The two goblins bowed and then came walking up to the box. Grunnark opened it and removed two blank sheets of parchment and the small knife.

Once he was ready, he nodded to the Director who then nodded to the Queen.

"Neville Longbottom," she said. "Please, step forward and follow the instructions of the goblins."

Neville hesitated a bit and glanced up at his grandmother who was still standing there in shock not uttering a word. Then he squared his shoulders, lifted his head and stepped up to the box where the goblins awaited.

The Director, took the knife off the box and, offering it to Neville, said, "Mister Longbottom. You are to use this knife and prick the top of your ring finger on your right hand. You are then to allow one drop of blood to drop onto each piece of parchment before you."

Again, hesitating a moment, Neville took the knife with his right hand and, switching it to his left hand, used it to jab the tip of his right ring finger. He winced a little, handed the knife back to Ragnock, and watched as a drop of blood welled up on his finger before holding it above the first sheet of parchment.

When the first drop dropped, he quickly moved his hand over the second piece of parchment and watched as the second drop fell and landed. Then he pulled his hand away and pinched his finger between the thumb and index finger of his left hand.

He and the goblins then leaned forward to watch as the blood soaked in and swirled out to form words.

Neville gave a sharp intake of breath at what he saw appearing.

Once the document had stopped it's magics, Ragnock picked them up side by side. He read over both to compare them before handing one off to Grunnark. Grunnark then walked over and handed it to the Queen bowing formally as he did so.

The Queen accepted the parchment and quickly ready through it as Grunnark walked back to the box.

"My Lord Potter," said the Queen, glancing across at Harry. "It appears your... research... is correct."

Then she turned to look straight at Neville and said, "My Lord Longbottom. It appears this rite has identified you as the presumptive Heir to the Earldom of Gryffindor and the presumptive Heir of the House of Longbottom. As there is no one of your line before you to claim the title - by Our command, you, sir, are the Earl of Gryffindor."

When the Queen said 'Earl of Gryffindor' the first time there was a short hesitation before there was an audible collection of gasps from Augusta and the Boneses. The Grangers still didn't seem to know what to make of it all but were watching intently everything that was happening.

Even Hermione had recovered from her embarrassment by this time and was watching just as intently as everyone else.

The Queen, however, did not seem to notice as she was staring intently at the document before her.

After a few moments the Queen then turned Her attention to the two goblins and said, "Director Ragnock, the rings, if you would. And We require the same... protections of notification... that were applied to Lord Potter's rings."

Grunnark reached into the box once more and drew forth two ring boxes, offering one to Ragnock.

Taking it Ragnock opened it and cast the required spells upon it.

Then he turned to Neville offering it towards him and saying, "Yours is the ring on the left, take it out."

Neville reached in with a shaking left hand and took out the indicated ring.

"Place it on your right ring finger. The magics will do the rest," said the old goblin.

As soon as Neville had placed the ring on his finger it resized itself before it flashed once.

"The ring has accepted. You are now the Lord, and Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House, of Gryffindor. As such, you are also automatically emancipated. Congratulations, My Lord," Ragnock said giving the ring box back to Grunnark.

"I... I am?" asked Neville a bit querulously.

"But... that's impossible!" blurted Amelia. "There's no way the magics of the rings..."

"Madam Bones!" the Queen rode over the top of her in a firm voice. "You do not yet seem to understand the authority I bear. I have ordered it, so shall it be. The magics know Our authority."

'Oooh!' thought Harry. 'No Royal "We" in that statement. Amelia had best watch herself.'

Looking back down at the document for a moment the old goblin then accepted the second ring box and, ignoring Amelia's outburst and with a straight face, said, "Yes, My Lord."

Then opening the second box he, again, cast spells upon it before offering it to Neville.

"These are the rings for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom. Yours is the one on the left."

Neville looked at it for a moment before turning back to look at his grandmother. She was still looking on in shock. As was Amelia.

"Lord Longbottom," the Queen spoke up in a firm voice. "Take up your Head of House Longbottom ring."

Neville spun back around to face the goblin and looked up with a bit of shock, then reached in and removed the indicated ring.

Ragnock then said, handing the box back to Grunnark, "Place the ring on the same finger, the rings will combine to form one."

Neville did so, watching the second ring resize itself and merge with the first. Another flash and it was done.

"The ring has accepted," said Ragnock. "Congratulations, again, Lord Longbottom."

Augusta, still frozen to the spot, let out a little 'Eep' sound but otherwise didn't react.

"Lord Longbottom," said the Queen. "Congratulations. We will speak more of this shortly. For now; please step back in to line."

Neville just nodded, turned around and walked back to take his place in the line next to his grandmother, as instructed. While the Queen set the document on the table beside her. The Prince then picked it up and read it for himself, still quite curious.

"Susan Bones," the Queen then called. "Please step forward and follow the instructions of the goblins."

Amelia tried to reach out and stop her walking forward but she just couldn't seem to grab her.

Harry reached out and took the poor stunned women by the elbow and said softly to her, "Easy, Amelia. I swear to you, this had to be done. She will be safe."

After Susan went through the same ritual, she stepped back in to line alongside her Aunt on the other side from Harry, wearing the combined rings of the Heads of Houses of Hufflepuff and Bones.

"Hermione Granger," the Queen then called. "Please step forward and follow the instructions of the goblins."

"Wha...?" her father quietly uttered. But he made no move to stop her. His military background wouldn't allow him to.

Hermione, practically ran to the box and, bouncing on the balls of her feet, reached out and almost snatched the knife out of Ragnock's hand before carrying out the same rite.

The Queen seemed quite amused.

Once completed Hermione jumped back in to line between the colonel and her father staring down at the ring of the Head of the House of Ravenclaw on her right ring finger.

'That's everyone,' Harry thought. 'Next, Myrrdin's message to them and the memory cubes.'

While Grunnark was packing the boxes up, Harry quietly stepped forward and quietly asked Ragnock, "The Will, Director Ragnock?"

"Her Majesty has it, My Lord," replied the old goblin equally quietly.

Harry nodded and stepped back.

"Director Ragnock," the Queen then said. "You have, again, performed a service for Us today. We thank you. Please be sure to invoice Us for your service and We shall ensure swift payment."

Then, after a quick glance at Harry, She said, "May your vaults overflow with gold. And may your enemies die by your hand."

Turning more fully to face the Queen the old goblin puffed up a bit, obviously pleased, and said, "May gold continue to flow into your vaults. And your enemies taste the keen edge of your sword."

Then he bowed formally and deeply, nodded to Grunnark, who picked up the box, and led the way back out the door through which Harry and his friends had entered. They were met just inside the door by a Page who appeared to be leading them back to the fireplace in the Queen's Audience Room.

When Harry had turned back around he saw that the table had been removed and another Page was laying four low red velvet cushions with gold tassels fringing them on the floor. Another Page was standing just on the other side of the row of cushions sideways to them and holding what he recognised as the Queen's Sword of State. Her father's sword.

'Oh, crap!' he thought to himself. 'I haven't had a chance to warn the others who don't know what the sword means.'

Stepping forward slightly and turning his head back down the line he quickly gained the attention of the others and very quietly said, "This is just a ceremony, folks. No one is going to be hurt."

He could see that his words had, at least, calmed the two older witches.

"She's just going to tap them on the shoulder with the flat of the blade," he quietly said again.

That calmed them a bit more. Dan had, at first, wondered what Harry was talking about. It didn't take him long to understand, though, once he looked at the faces of those between he and Harry.. And he nodded back at Harry, in understanding of why he said what he did.

Then the Queen and Prince Charles stood and stepped forward, waited a moment, and the Queen said, "Lady Hermione Jean Granger, come forward."

Hermione, still playing with her ring, looked up and said, "Huh?"

Dan snorted but gave his daughter a little push forward.

The colonel, recognising the young lass didn't understand what was going on, took hold of Hermione's shoulder and guided her forward to stand about eighteen inches shy of the cushion on her end.

Then he leaned forward and whispered into her ear. Hermione kneeled on the cushion and was about to sit back on her heels when the colonel, again, whispered in her ear and she straightened back up again while still kneeling.

The Queen calmly waited until the colonel stepped back in to line. Then she called, "Lord Neville Francis Longbottom, come forward."

Neville was no dummy. He immediately stepped up to the next cushion and kneeled assuming the same position as Hermione.

"Lady Susan Charity Bones, come forward."

Susan did the same.

"Lord Harry James Potter, come forward."

And Harry went and kneeled on the remaining cushion, glancing towards and grinning at the others as he did.

Then the Queen walked to stand about four feet in front of Hermione and simply said, "My sword."

The Page holding it took a few paces forward and offered the sword to the Queen with the flat of the blade resting on the palms of his gloved hands. When the Queen took it he then bowed, turned around, and went and stood just off to the side from Harry away from Susan.

Her Majesty then held the hilt of the sword in both Her own gloved hands with the tip pointed straight up.

"Lady Hermione Jean Granger, as your sovereign and liege, We hereby grant you the title of Countess Ravenclaw, both in the mundane world and wizarding. And recognise you as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw."

'That's different,' Harry thought to himself.

Then She carefully lowered the sword to tap Hermione once on the left shoulder. Then lifted it over her head to tap once on her right shoulder. And back again to tap once on her left shoulder. And raised the sword to point straight up again.

Then She moved to stand in front of Neville and said, "Lord Neville Francis Longbottom, as your sovereign and liege, We hereby grant you the title of Earl Gryffindor, both in the mundane world and wizarding. And recognise you as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor."

Then She did the same thrice-tapping of shoulders.

Next, She moved to stand in front of Susan and said, "Lady Susan Charity Bones, as your sovereign and liege, We hereby grant you the title of Countess Hufflepuff, both in the mundane world and wizarding. And recognise you as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Hufflepuff."

And the same thrice-tapping of shoulders.

Finally, She moved to stand in front of Harry and said, "Lord Harry James Potter, as your sovereign and liege, We hereby grant you the title of Earl Slytherin, both in the mundane world and wizarding. And recognise you as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin."

Harry then heard a bit of a gasp coming from the others on mention of the name Slytherin, before he received the same thrice-tapping of his shoulders.

"You have done Us a great service today, Lord Slytherin," She added. "It will be remembered."

The Queen then handed the sword off to the same Page, who bowed again, before departing with it. And She went to stand back where She first stood when calling them forward.

"Arise, Countess Ravenclaw; arise, Earl Gryffindor; arise, Countess Hufflepuff; and, arise, Earl Slytherin," She commanded.

Each stood as their titles were called.

"Congratulations, all of you," She said warmly. "Family members may now come forward and congratulate them."

It was Dan, leading Emma, who first came forward to hug Hermione. But Augusta and Amelia soon joined in the congratulations after giving their grandson and niece respectively a big hug. Plus, a lot of showing of rings around.

It was Dan who first approached Harry. "I don't know why you did it, My Lord," he said. "But, thank you."

"Call me Harry," replied Harry. "But don't thank me just yet. You may well find yourself hating me for what I've caused here. All will be explained to you soon."

After a few minutes with a few of the group carefully approaching the Queen and Prince to have a few words, the Queen then asked for their attention again.

"We think it best we now retire to the library for a more informal setting, She said. "We shall discuss matters further there."

The Queen and Prince Charles then left through a side door. But, before they could follow, the colonel came up and said, "It would be best we wait a few moments before following."

That's when Augusta turned on him and said, "Lord Potter, I would know what happened here, and why I felt so powerless to stop it."

Hearing Augusta confront Harry Amelia turned and said to him, "As would I."

"I told you Her Majesty was not a mundane," said Harry a bit defensively. "What you saw was Her exercising Royal Magic. As your Sovereign she has the power to act on magical matters within the wizarding world of the United Kingdom and beyond, as well as the mundane.

"Her Majesty vehemently disagrees with presumptive heirs having to wait until they come of age, or are emancipated earlier. So, She acted. And the four earldoms are also peers within the mundane realm and can, conceivably, be accepted into the United Kingdom's Parliament through the House of Lords. It was Her authority over such matters, Her command, that pretty much ordered the Rites of Inheritance and rings to accept.

"That's why there was two Rite of Inheritance documents for each of the others, as there was for me earlier today, and why She and the goblins were watching the documents very closely as She spoke. They were watching the words on the documents alter to conform to Her commands."

"And what was that with the casting upon the rings?" asked Amelia.

Before Harry had a chance to answer the colonel stepped forward, "Before you get into that, My Lord, Her Majesty will be expecting you."

Nodding to the colonel Harry said a bit cheekily but very formally, "Yes, Oh, Royal Summoner."

The colonel just snorted in response and took the lead out of the room. Harry made sure the rest of the group were tagging along and took up the rear, except for two Pages following him.

Another long corridor and the colonel led them into a large library. As soon as Hermione saw the books she said, "Ooooh..." and peeled off from the group to browse shelves. Harry had to grab and drag her away before she ended up losing herself reading the bindings.

In the middle of the room was a somewhat pentagon shaped setting of couches and an armchair. In the middle stood a small round table that, for now, was clear of anything upon it. Another Page was standing by to guide them into seats.

The large single-seat armchair was left clear. Dan and Emma were guided into a large double seat couch closest to the armchair. Amelia and Augusta into the same style couch on the opposite side of the arm chair. Harry and Hermione, with Hermione dragging him, were led to the one next to Dan and Emma. And Neville and Susan went into the one between Harry and Amelia.

Hearing a noise coming from the side Harry turned to see a tea service trolley being wheeled in. A wait person came up and asked, "Tea or juice, anyone?"

Hearing no one order first, he said, "Yes, please; white with two sugars."

Then the orders came from the others.

As they waited, Dan turned to Harry and said, "I don't understand. How is it that Hermione is the Duchess of Ravenclaw, when both Emma and I are still alive?"

"You are the direct descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. However, the Heir to her... holdings... can only be passed on to someone with a sufficiently powerful enough magical core to be accepted into Hogwarts as a witch or a wizard," replied Harry. "Neither you, nor your parents, nor as far back as we can find in recent history, has _had_ such a core. Hermione is the first in _many_ generations. So, she's the presumptive Heir; or, actual Heir, now."

"And Neville?" asked Augusta from the other side.

"As his parents have been... incapacitated... for a decade now, the presumptive Heir passes to him," replied Harry.

"His father was magical. Why not him before...? Or his grandfather before him?" Augusta further asked.

"Because all four Heirs have to be able to attend Hogwarts at the same time, and the Heir presumptive to Ravenclaw would have been missing. That also applies to Susan," explained Harry. "You see, the four founders, before the fighting broke out and they parted ways, wanted to ensure their Heirs would all, equally, own Hogwarts, as _they_ did. So, they set things up so that their heirs had to be of similar age. They forced a level playing field to be in place so that no one or more could assert their ownership over the others."

"Wait," said Neville, interrupting. "Did you say 'own Hogwarts'?"

Harry grinned back and replied, "Yeah, Nev; 'own'."

"We own a castle?" asked Neville wonderingly.

"No, we all own, at a quarter each, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Hogwarts Castle in which it is housed, and all the land around it, including the land on which Hogsmeade sits," said Harry matter-of-factly.

"Lord Potter," said Amelia, speaking up. "The Ministry owns Hogwarts."

"No, Ma'am, they do not," Harry firmly replied. "Think about it this way. Hogwarts has been around since late in the ninth century. That means just over a thousand years. Yet the Ministry has only been around for a few hundred years. I know this because _Government_ in its current form with Ministries has only been around for a few hundred years. If the Ministry is supposed to own it, how did they get it hundreds of years after it was built? If they bought it, from whom did they purchase it?

"The only possible explanation is that, over time, they've _claimed_ it as their own. However, they've had no legal right to do so. The school has been running continuously since the time of the founders, so they _can't_ claim it under the laws of abandoned property. And if they do claim to have purchased it then they've been defrauded."

Everybody was listening intently to what Harry was saying so no one noticed when Her Majesty walked into the room. It wasn't until she was almost at the side of what was clearly her chair before Harry noticed.

Harry, noticing her at the last moment, leapt to his feet. "Your Majesty! I apologise..." he said as everyone else suddenly realised she was there and rose to their feet.

"...We did not see you approach," he finished.

"We understand, considering how rapt your audience was in your talk," she said gracefully sitting down in the remaining armchair. "Please, be seated everyone."

Everyone resumed their seats, but now were sitting up a little straighter.

Her Majesty was now dressed in an expensive canary yellow dress to mid calf, long gloves and carrying a matching purse, and no tiara.

"Ma'am, I was just explaining to the others how we, together, own Hogwarts and the land upon which it sits for many miles around," Harry explained. "Madam Bones believes it is the Ministry who owns it. I was taking her through the logic of how they could not."

"We heard, My Lord," She said with a slight smile. "We would hear more."

"Of course, Ma'am," replied Harry.

Thinking a bit to get his talk back on track Harry then said, "Now, I don't know how it came to be that the Ministry, or those who work within it and without, came to believe the Ministry own Hogwarts, but I have my suspicions.

"I think, a long time ago someone once asked someone else 'Who owns Hogwarts since the founders left?'. That someone, not knowing themselves, then probably said something along the lines of 'The Ministry must own it, who else could it be?'. The first person then would have seen the logic in that and said to others 'The Ministry owns Hogwarts'. And word spread. When word would have made its way back to the person who, first guessed, that the Ministry owns Hogwarts he would have felt validated. He would think to himself, 'See? I was right when I said I thought the Ministry owns Hogwarts'.

"Now, here's a question for you all. I don't want you to just answer it, I want you to think about it," said Harry said before pausing for a moment. "If everyone believes a lie to be the truth; does it make it the truth?"

The Queen just smiled, as did the Grangers, but the others were frowning.

"Very nicely done, My Lord," said the Queen. "It is something of which We are plagued on an almost daily basis. Our publicity staff in their employment spend a lot of their time denouncing rumours about Us that Our subjects believe to be true. And new rumours arise on an almost daily basis.

"As for ownership of the lands of Hogwarts and all therein, the lands form the four Earldoms. They _cannot_ be sold as you _cannot_ sell your peerage," She explained.

With a nod to Harry She went on, "The conditions of that were in those documents you provided Us concerning the formation of the Earldoms."

"The Hogwarts train, however," Harry went on, "I don't yet know about."

After a short pause the Queen then said, "My Lord Potter, I have something for you."

She gestured to one of her people standing well away, they must have come in when she did, and a silver tray was brought over.

The tray was offered to Harry who saw upon it a large folded piece of parchment with a red seal.

Frowning Harry reached out and picked it up. Holding it before him he saw it was his parent's Will. He broke the seal and read through it. As he read, the others in the circle could see him getting angrier and angrier before he then blinked in astonishment.

After he finished he then stood and leaned over offering it to the Queen. She took it and began to read it while Harry plonked himself back down in his chair muttering sulphurously.

The Queen glanced up to look at both Amelia and Augusta at one point before continuing. And when She was done She offered it back to Harry, who stood again and accepted it from Her.

"Do you mind if I give them the highlights, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"We believe that would be for the best," she replied.

"Okay," said Harry. "This is my parent's Will. It was sealed by the Wizengamot under the direction of Albus Dumbledore, who also _claimed_ to be my magical guardian."

Opening it back up he then said, "The salient points are; on my parents death it was to be asked if certain people would be willing to raise me. They are, in order, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Edgar and Marjorie Bones, and Marlene McKinnon. If any of those people remained alive but were unable or unwilling to take me; then, together, they were to discover a home for me within the wizarding world.

"Under no circumstances... and it's in capitals and underlined here... is Harry to be left with Vernon and Petunia Dursley," he said. "Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia are mundanes. They believe anyone from the magical world, or anyone who displays a talent for magic, is a freak. Yet, that is precisely where Dumbledore left me."

"What?!" blurted both Amelia and Augusta. Harry thought it almost sounded like stereo.

"That's Will tampering!" said Amelia in shock.

"But wait," said Harry, holding up a finger. "There's more.

"The Will was witnessed by Frank and Alice Longbottom, Sirius Black... and Albus Dumbledore."

"WHAT?!"

Harry didn't know exactly who said that but he knew he had a reaction from both older witches and the Grangers. It was almost a wall of sound.

That brought a couple of the Queen's retinue scurrying over with watchful gazes flicking among the people there. Hands were being held in a way it looked like they could suddenly duck under frock coats for a weapon.

"Is everything alright, Ma'am?" one of them asked still looking with suspicion at the gathering arranged before their Queen.

"It's fine, thank you, Peter," she said holding up her hand and tapping the man on his arm. "They have just received a big shock. I'm sure they will calm themselves down, immediately.

Everyone understood the implied message. And the circle was again quiet.

"According to that," said Augusta with anger in her voice. "You should have been placed with me. Frank and dear Alice may have already been in St Mungo's, but no one knew at that time they would not recover."

"And, even if Frank and Alice were ruled unable to care for you, Harry, then the Will clearly states you were never to go to your Aunt and Uncle," Amelia continued on, and then said exasperatedly, "What the hell is Dumbledore playing at?"

"Well," said Harry. "There's more I think you should know."

Amelia and Augusta both nodded.

"It also says here," Harry went on, "That I seem to have inherited Potter Manor. I didn't even know my family had one. And that a large trust fund was set aside for me at Gringotts, that the money therein be used by my guardian to raise me, and that I be raised to understand my place within society."

Lowering the document for a moment, Harry then said, "I had no idea about any trust fund, and know that my aunt and uncle do not receive any funds from it, so where is the money? If Dumbledore has... unlawfully... claimed guardianship over me, then is he stealing it?"

"I will be investigating the matter, personally, on my return to the Ministry!" Amelia said.

"And I will be raising the matter with the Wizengamot!" declared Augusta.

"And I, as the person so aggrieved, ask you not to do anything just yet," said Harry firmly.

"Lord Potter, if the law has been broken then it is my duty to investigate!" replied Amelia just as firmly.

"I understand," said Harry. "However, there are matters here of which you are unaware that will make Will tampering seem like small potatoes. Dumbles has not just committed that minor illegal act; he has committed much, much more."

"Oh?" asked Amelia ominously.

Harry sighed and looking at the Queen said, "Your Majesty. Before I and the colonel departed to... collect... the Longbottoms and Boneses, I was relating to you what happened on the night of 31st October 1981."

"Oh, that was the night your parents were killed, right?" Hermione cut in. "And you defeated Voldemort."

"Hermione!" her mother gasped in shock while the Boneses and Longbottom recoiled in shock at mention of the name.

"It's okay, Doctor Granger, I'm not offended," said Harry placatingly.

"Please do not use that name, dear," said Augusta with a pained look. "It's He-who-must-not-be-named."

"It was the night my parents were killed," said Harry to Hermione, "But I did not kill Voldemort."

"And it's just a name," he went on, speaking to Augusta, "It has no power, I assure you."

"Yes, My Lord Potter," the Queen smoothly cut in. "You were."

"Thank you, Ma'am," he said. "May I relate what the wizarding world believes happened? And why I'm so famous?"

"We would like to hear that," the Queen replied.

Nodding, Harry gathered his thoughts and then began. "The wizarding world believes that my parents, James and Lily Potter, and I were hidden under a Fidelius Charm cast by Albus Dumbledore. That Sirius Black was the Secret Keeper and, therefore, the only one able to give the information to Voldemort as to the location of my parents. That Voldemort... His real name is Tom Riddle, by the way... was led to the cottage the Potters were hidden within by Sirius Black, who was also supposed to be in his inner circle, a Death Eater, in secret.

"That Voldemort killed my parents and, in the act of trying to kill me, I somehow managed to kill him first. That Peter Pettigrew turned up and Sirius Black chased him. That Sirius Black managed to catch Pettigrew in a street full of mundanes, and in the process of killing Pettigrew, or otherwise, blew up him and thirteen mundane citizens of Britain leaving a big crater in the street.

"That Black was then quickly captured given a quick trial and dumped in the wizarding prison on Azkaban. That I was taken from the remains of the Potter's cottage, given a health check where it was discovered my injury, my forehead, could not be healed without a scar, and then spirited away into hiding where I lived in a big castle where I grew up happy and safe but led an exciting life.

"That's it in a nutshell, right?" he looked around asking the others there.

The Queen, of course, had already heard part of what happened and knew the truth. She, however, just sat there, listened and watched, with a small smile.

Harry got a few head nods and 'Yes'es in return. "Everybody believe this to be true? This is what the entire wizarding world believes is the truth?" he asked in general. "Except, of course, Mister and Mrs Granger who probably have no idea what I'm talking about. And Hermione's probably read all about it in those books she has."

More nods with rapid head nodding from Hermione. Dan and Emma just had slight frowns of not understanding.

"Okay, then," said Harry. "Well, almost all of what I told you happens to be a load of... rubbish. It's pure fiction. It. Is. Not. True!"

Harry waited for that to sink in before he went on.

"Okay, then," he said. "Here's what _really_ happened, in a nutshell.

"My parents, James and Lily Potter, and I were hidden under a Fidelius Charm cast by Albus Dumbledore. That much is correct," he began. "However, Sirius knew that pretty much everyone knew that he was the Potter's best friend. So, at the last moment, he convinced James and Lily to switch Secret Keepers. He convinced them to switch to their other school friend, Peter Pettigrew. That means Dumbledore knew who the real Secret Keeper was. Peter Pettigrew had been Riddle's spy within the Order of the Phoenix, the vigilante group battling Riddle from in secret.

"What Riddle did not know was that my mother, Lily, had been spending years studying old and ancient magics. This included rune magics. My mother had cast upon and around my crib multiple layers of spells and wards, as well as some upon me. Lily had discovered a way to block the killing curses. However, it required her to sacrifice her life to fully charge the magical protection. So, when she died, she had one hand on the ring of runes and, in giving her life, her magical energy was directed into the wards.

"When Riddle then aimed his wand at me and... fired... the runes, fully charged, activated. The curse was not just blocked... except for giving this scar on my head... but, together with the runic magics, bounced back at Riddle killing him instantly by obliterating his corporeal self.

"That means it is _Lily Potter_ who is the hero of the wizarding world; it was _Lily Potter_ who killed Voldemort; it was _Lily Potter_, through her studies and skills with magic, and not a fifteen month old baby, who richly deserves the praise. Not me."

Harry gave that a moment to sink in before continuing.

"Now, as soon as the cottage's wards were breached the alarm went out to the rest of the Order, what was left of them. The first one to arrive was Sirius. He arrived moments after Voldemort was blown up. He knew, immediately, what had happened and expected us all to be dead. In a fit of rage he charged, on his own, the remaining Death Eaters that didn't go the same way as Riddle. All but one quickly apparated out of there. The only one left behind was Pettigrew, who couldn't apparate because he was panicking too much over the death of his master.

"Pettigrew then fled with Sirius in hot pursuit. However, that's also when other members of the Order arrived, some of which were Aurors. Magical police who now work for Amelia here," Harry said indicating Amelia where she was sitting in confused silence on the couch next to Augusta.

"The Aurors, thinking Sirius was both the Secret Keeper and was trying to flee, gave chase. When Sirius finally caught up to Pettigrew, Pettigrew screamed that it was Sirius who betrayed the Potters, cut off his left, little finger, and cast a blasting charm to blow a hole in the street. The blast killed thirteen mundanes and knocked Sirius flying. Pettigrew seized the moment, changed into his animagus form - a rat - and fled down through the now opened sewers."

"When the Aurors finally caught up they arrived moments after Pettigrew disappeared. They seized Sirius and manacled him. As he was led away he was saying in deep shock and grief 'I killed James and Lily, I killed James and Lily'.

Harry paused a few moments before saying, "That is what really happened up to that point that night."

Then Harry shut up and sat back to allow the others to mentally digest what he had just said.

"But... but... everyone knows Black killed the Potters!," exclaimed Augusta, the first to recover. "He admitted it!"

Harry then leaned forward again and said, "Yes, quite curious that, isn't it?" Then, turning to Dan he said, "I believe you would have an explanation as to why he said it; wouldn't you,... Captain?"

Dan and Emma's faces immediately changed from ones of contemplation to ones of shock. Hermione just looked confused.

"I...I.." stuttered Dan, before glaring back at Harry and flatly saying, "How on Earth would you know that?"

"That will be explained soon," replied Harry. "For now, though, could you explain what I meant?"

Dan just glared at Harry for a moment before he looked at his Queen with a questioning look.

The Queen, knowing what Dan was asking of Her, replied, "Just give the concepts of what Lord Potter is speaking, Captain."

Dan nodded and said, "Yes, Ma'am." Turning back to face Augusta, he huffed a bit and said, "What Harry, Lord Potter, is talking about is the _emotion_ of guilt, not the reality of it."

After thinking for a bit, he said, "Let's say an army corporal orders a private, a close friend, to check a car for a bomb. The corporal then goes to another car, away from the first, to check _that_ one for a bomb. While the private is checking the car he has been ordered to check, it blows up, killing him. The corporal is, of course, shocked by it. He may have even been severely injured in the explosion, but lives.

"However, as far as he is concerned, he killed his friend, the private. He figures, if he hadn't ordered his friend to check the car, his friend wouldn't have been killed. Therefore, he killed him.

"What Lord Potter is referring to is that Mister Black believes he killed his friends, the Potters, because Mister Black told them to use this Pettigrew man as their... Secret Keeper. Who then betrayed them. Mister Black feels responsible. It was his guilt of that, which drove him to say he killed them."

"Precisely," said Harry. "And, thank you."

"But Pettigrew wasn't an animagus," said Amelia. "Animaguses are very rare, and they have to register their forms with the Improper Use of Magic Office within the Ministry. We would have known."

"Animaguses are only rare because witches and wizards believe them to be. Therefore, they do not bother to find out if they, themselves, are one. Every witch and wizard with enough magic to get into Hogwarts has the inherent ability to be an animagus. All it requires is the practice of meditation; first, to seek what their animagus form would take, and then to begin to practice to change.

"It's yet another of those 'Everyone knows it to be true; therefore, it must be. Yet it's not.' situations," replied Harry.

"Even if he was an animagus he would still need to be registered with the Ministry," Amelia retorted.

"Really?" asked Harry. "The wizarding world was in a state of chaos, pretty much in a wizarding war. If you had a skill like that, would you make it public by informing the Ministry?"

"But it's the law!" snapped Amelia.

Harry turned to the Queen and asked, "Everyone in here is cleared for knowing about this, Your Majesty?"

The Queen knowing what Harry was about to do, quickly glanced to where her retinue and the wait staff were still waiting, and said, "Yes, Lord Potter. You may proceed."

Harry just nodded, rose and walked outside of the circle of chairs and a little away. He jumped and changed into his phoenix animagus before flying up and circling the room once. He circled in tighter to lightly hover over the middle of the circle. Then, he moved just off the centre table in front of his chair, and changed back, lightly dropping to the floor in human form.

He calmly sat down and waited. Everyone, except the Queen who knew what to expect, were flat-out astonished; jaws wide open in some cases, eyes bugging out.

"Thank you, Lord Potter," the Queen calmly said.

From where he was sitting Harry bowed slightly to her in response.

"What was that?!" asked Dan.

"An earth phoenix," replied Harry calmly.

"Now, Madam Bones, I am an animagus. I am not registered with the Ministry," said Harry. "My father was also an animagus. His form was a stag. And, as I said, it is a skill any witch or wizard can learn. It just takes dedication."

He then said, "That would be another of those beliefs 'Everybody knows to be true' just proven false."

"Yes, well," said Amelia, with not a little shock.

"However," Harry then spoke up, "about the events of that night. Let's hit the salient points. First, Dumbledore cast the Fidelius Charm, which means he knows Peter Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper. Yet, he has not spoken about that with anyone. Second, Sirius Black is innocent of all charges against him. Third is the matter I haven't raised - and this is the one I'm really annoyed about - Bartemius Crouch Senior, then Head of the DMLE, had him thrown directly into Azkaban on the orders of Minister Millicent Bagnold, without even giving him a trial."

"WHAT?!"

Harry, getting bombarded with the sound of the adult's rage and shock, winced.

Her Majesty, first to regain her composure, simply raised her hand. And received total silence.

"Are we to understand, My Lord Potter," She said, "that one of Our subjects has been incarcerated in this wizard's prison, without a trial?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "And he has been there for nine and a half years. About eight years longer than most people live."

"There's no way he would have been incarcerated without a trial, let alone sent to Azkaban," stated Amelia. "No one would have stood for it!"

"Another belief I need to shoot down in flames?" asked Harry, not without a little gentle ribbing.

"Okay," he went on, "Where's the trial transcript? The record of evidence? The record of interview of the supposed culprit? Witness statements?"

"They'll all be in the files at the Ministry," replied Amelia.

"Then I'll ask you, come Monday, to go and _look_ for them," said Harry. "And, if you can't find them, get him the _hell out of there_. Veratiserum him. Hell, Veratiserum Crouch and Bagnold, too, while you're at it."

"However," he went on, "I still need you to leave Dumbledore, and his part in all this, alone."

"Lord Potter," said Amelia exasperatedly, "if all this turned out to be true, Dumbledore is a criminal and needs to be brought to justice."

"And I agree," said Harry with a sigh. "But, there is still far, far more to this than you've so far heard."

"Your Majesty," he said turning to the Queen, "I have another message from my mentor. This time it's for the other heirs. However, I think their guardians and you may be very interested in what he has to say."

"Then by all means, My Lord Potter," she replied. "Let us watch it."


	7. The Heirs' Discovery

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Seven - The Heirs' Discovery

Harry reached into his satchel and drew forth another memory cube. He leaned forward and placed it in the centre of the table before him. And activated it.

As before, up popped an image of Myrrdin.

"Greetings, My Lords and Ladies, their families, and of course, Your Majesty, if you're watching this," said Myrrdin with a formal bow.

"My name is Myrrdin Emrys, or Merlin Ambrosius, if you prefer...," he began just as Harry heard a sharp intake of breath from the wizarding folk, "... and I have been Harry's mentor, teacher and friend for the past fifteen years.

"Yes, yes; I know he's not reached his eleventh birthday yet; but Harry can vouch for it. Harry lived it and Her Majesty heard me explain it to Her. Ask Harry how it was possible later.

"What I am going to talk to you about is time and prophecy. And your places within both. I'm going to talk to you about three different timelines. Specifically three _different_ futures. What was supposed to happen, what would have happened if I hadn't taken a hand in it, and what I did to start to get things back on track. With your help, we'll succeed.

"First, the original timeline; what was supposed to happen.

"Harry was supposed to have originally gone and lived with Augusta and Neville; first as a guest, then as a more permanent family member due to Frank and Alice's health. Susan, your life would have been the same. The same goes for Hermione.

"Then all four of you would have entered Hogwarts as normal students, and completed your studies. You would have, all four of you, been close friends. Harry and Neville would have been sorted into Gryffindor, Hermione into Ravenclaw and Susan into Hufflepuff. Yes, I know Harry is the Earl of Slytherin, but the reputation of the house at present meant the friendship would have been... damaged if he was sorted there.

"Then, except for Hermione, you would have all discovered your true inheritance as you reached your majority. Hermione would have discovered hers when a letter would have been sent to her inviting her into Gringotts. And she would have undertaken the rite of inheritance.

"After Hermione, the first to reach majority but the last to receive her title, did receive hers, all four of you would have soon afterwards been together in the Great Hall. At that point Hogwarts would have recognised you all as you really are. And you would have then been in a place to radically change the curriculum to bring the school up to a decent standard of education, rather than the shadow of its former self it has become.

"You would all, also, start changing the wizarding world in other ways, especially through your seats on the Wizengamot. Neville would have championed equality, as a true Gryffindor would. Susan would, at the same time, forged to unite the wizarding world as one and championed better laws regarding magical creatures. Hermione was destined to be the smartest witch in Hogwarts history, she would even be Head Girl in her final year, and she would have been the one leading both changes to wizarding law, revitalising the whole system, and challenged even her ancestor, Rowena Ravenclaw, for knowledge and development of new magics.

"And then there's Harry. Voldemort... Riddle... will return. Harry knows how. He was going to return in about four years from now, but Harry was finally going to face him in a one-on-one duel to the death in your final year just before his majority. Harry would be successful and, after taking up his titles, go on to be the hero of the wizarding world and beyond. He would also be the linchpin holding all four of you together and, if anyone threatened you, dealt with them," Myrrdin paused for a moment before continuing.

"However, all that was... interfered with... by a stupid, old, manipulative man who thinks he's God's gift to wizardry; Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. He who thinks he's better than everyone else and only _he_ can fix things. He who has no problem sacrificing people if he believes it's for what he calls 'The Greater Good'. If you ever hear him say, 'It's for the greater good', he's about to or has already broken the law. And there's a possibility someone's going to die, or did die, as a result of his manipulations.

"When Dumbledore messed with the timeline he messed with destiny. Through his acts, Harry would have lost to Riddle in that duel. And Riddle would have gone on to first, destroy wizarding Britain, then the wizarding world, and then the mundane world. The eventual result would have, likely, led to the end of the entire world as we know it; as you know it.

"So, I had to step in. And when I have to step in I _make sure_ about what I'm doing. I leave nothing to chance, as I won't get a _second_ chance. I secreted Harry out of the home in which Dumbledore dumped him the night after his parent's death. A mundane household. A household where he would not have known love, nor learned of his wizarding heritage until he received his letter from Hogwarts shortly before his eleventh birthday. It was Dumbledore's plan to soon after... rescue... him. This way, Dumbledore would appear to be Harry's knight in shining armour and Harry would adore him. Of course, it was all about Dumbledore being able to control Harry.

"Harry would have entered the wizarding world smaller and weaker physically, and his magical core would have been irreparably damaged. It's that damage that would have led to his eventual loss at Riddle's hands. Dumbledore's plan was for Harry to fight Voldemort, lose, and then Dumbledore would come in and kill Voldemort making him, once more, the hero of the wizarding world. He would, of course, have failed.

"I took Harry out of that abusive home on his fourth birthday. And, I did it in such a way that Dumbledore, who has magical monitors on the household where he dumped Harry, does not know he's missing. As far as Dumbledore knows, Harry is there right now. And Harry and I need him to keep thinking that until 1st September when Harry leaves for Hogwarts. And there, Dumbledore believes he will have even more control over Harry. Yes, he's that manipulative.

"Yes, I took Harry out of the Dursleys' on his fourth birthday, and for the next close-to-fifteen years I trained him. That's right, fifteen years. Harry may be an eleven year old, nearly, but I took him to a place where time ran slower. He has the most advanced training I could provide him. I trained him in the way that druids, mages and magicians of my day were trained. Then, due to his aptitude, I carried on with further training. In for a penny, in for a pound; as I believe they say in your day.

"At the moment young Harry has so much knowledge crammed into his brain he could start writing it all down and not be finished before he died of advanced old age. I trained him to Journeyman level, as it is known... sorry, as it _was_ known... in my day. And that's _well_ beyond what the wizarding world is capable of in _your_ day.

"You must not allow others in the wizarding world to know what is going on until the four Heirs make their move. That especially includes Dumbledore, his so-called Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry and the Wizengamot. If others learn of what is being planned it would place the Heirs in danger. Some would attempt to stop them as they will see what they will do as a threat to their way of life. They would be wrong, but they don't understand that yet.

"I also do not want the Heirs to be recognised by Hogwarts until after your first year. I want you to have the time to just be students, watch and learn about the curriculum, and plan how to fix it. That will also give others, such as Her Majesty, the chance to do their own preparations. Then, on the day of the Leaving Feast at the end of the year, you can pounce!

"At the moment, only Her Majesty and some of her people, the goblins, and you... eight... know of your elevation if Harry was successful in having the signals from the rings blocked from alerting the wizarding world the Heirs have taken up their rings. You should all at least get another almost year of your childhoods before you're thrust into the thick of it.

"Now for the prophecy..."

Again, with the split image.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches …_

"_Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies._

"_And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … _

"_And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives._

"Dumbledore knows that part, he was there when he heard that part of the prophecy uttered. Oh, and he didn't capture the memory of it and give it to the Department of Mysteries, either. Yet another thing he's done wrong.

"Riddle also knew the first two lines. This is the part Dumbledore and Riddle don't know...

"_Before two hands of full turnings shall pass …_

"_The one with the power will come forth from whence he has been lost._

"_He shall be joined by loyalty …_

"_He shall be joined by wit …_

"_He shall be joined by resolve._

"_The four are rejoined!_

"_They shall defeat evil and restore order to magical kind._

"Now to break it down for you so you can understand what a pivotal role you'll play.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Could be anyone.

"Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. This could be Harry or Neville.

"Yes, Neville, you're what Dumbledore thinks of as 'the alternate'.

"And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal. That's Harry, it's the scar on his head

"but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. Dumbledore thinks it's love, which Harry abounds with.

"And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. That's the duel, unless Harry can stop him before that.

"Before two hands of full turnings shall pass. Less than ten years.

"The one with the power will come forth from whence he has been lost. Harry coming out of hiding, where I took him.

"He shall be joined by loyalty. That's Susan.

"He shall be joined by wit. That's Hermione.

"He shall be joined by resolve. That's Neville.

"The four are rejoined! That happens at Hogwarts.

"They shall defeat evil and restore order to magical kind. As I've explained.

"When the four founders first split, it was Salazar Slytherin who first walked away. He caused what was to follow. That means it was up to his Heir to get them all back together. Which is what Harry managed to accomplish since you are all here watching me ramble on. However, it won't be recognised until you all stand together in the Great Hall. And that's the 1st September.

"Now, why are we doing things early. It's because Dumbledore has already done so much damage to the time balance, the scales of time needs an extra... nudge... to get things back to rights. By you four taking control earlier, you will give the nudge needed.

"But, you're eleven year olds. You do not have the knowledge or wisdom to carry out what you need to do. Only Harry has it, at the moment. So we can fix that. We can bring your knowledge up and give your wisdom a boost.

"Oh, you'll still be eleven year olds. But your knowledge will be astounding. It will compensate you against your lack of years.

"Harry has specialist memory cubes that will, as he puts it, _download_ the knowledge into your minds. The memory cubes were designed and created for each of you and are designed to not cause you harm. Harry calls this safety feature... circuit breakers.

"It will take many days to run through all the cubes. Harry knows what to do. At the end of it you will have the same level of knowledge as he does."

While Myrrdin continued to talk Harry withdrew from his satchel a wooden case. Opening the lid he set the case upon the coffee table next to the cube. Inside the case where three rows of fourteen near identical cubes.

Myrrdin continued, "So that it will not disrupt your normal lives the cubes are designed to be used at night during the course of a normal night's sleep. Each will be placed on your forehead once you're lying down. Harry will activate them. Then they'll do their work for about eight hours each. At the end of that time you will simply wake up feeling quite refreshed but with new knowledge.

"The only difference to that routine is the first one. It's designed to allow and give you the knowledge and understanding of how to order your mind. It will teach you Occlumency. This is to protect you from Dumbledore trying to manipulate you. Dumbledore is a trained Legilimens and has no compulsion against mind-raping his students or anyone else. This is something he does often. If he discovers who you are, he will no doubt attempt it upon you."

Harry heard both Amelia and Augusta gasp in shock.

"It will also give you an eidetic memory, perfect recall. So that all the information in the rest of the cubes will remain in your minds and you can then order it in such a way the information will come to your forethoughts immediately.

"The other cubes will cover wizarding and mundane law, the history and traditions of both worlds, how to live in both worlds, the laws of logic, mathematics, physics, mundane and magical medicine and healing, herbology, technology, technomancy, arithmancy, runes, ley lines, potions, charms, hexes, and even curses with a focus on defence against the dark arts. They will teach wandless, druidic and oriental magics; business principles, public relations and leadership. And they will teach how to expand on what they have learned, experiment with safety protocols in place, mundane weaponry, security systems; and even more.

"In other words, everything Harry and I could conceive someone in their positions could need to be safe.

"I would wish you luck, children, but I happen to know you don't need it. So I will say instead, I will enjoy watching your successes.

"Oh, and by the way, Harry. You've got a piece of one of the sandwiches you scoffed earlier stuck to your tie."

"What?" said Harry then quickly looked down at his front trying to brush away... nothing.

Suddenly, Myrrdin said, "Pranked you back!"

And the cube shut itself off.

Harry looked at the now dead cube stunned for a moment before he looked up and said, "Myrrdin! You just _had_ to get the last one in, didn't you!"

Looking back down again he saw everyone else staring at him. "What?" he asked. "He wanted to get me back because one of the last pranks I played on him turned all his hair pink."

"You pranked Merlin?" asked Neville in awe.

"Well, yeah, Nev," replied Harry. "In that place we didn't study and work the whole time. We had a lot of fun together, too."

"But how did you learn about pranking?" asked Hermione. "Did you study it?"

"No," replied Harry. "In my down times I'd sometimes sit and watch through Myrrdin's time viewer what my Ma'am and Dad got up to at Hogwarts. Dad and Sirius were best friends since well before Hogwarts and, once there, they made friends with Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. The four of them called themselves the Marauders and, my Dad and Sirius mainly, used to prank the other students and, sometimes, the staff. Some of them were funny but most were just... cruel. I was disappointed with my father for that, and it's also something I won't do."

"But, if Myrrdin and you could see through time, wouldn't he have been able to see if you were going to play a prank on him?" asked Hermione.

Harry stared back utterly stunned as Hermione's words made him realise the truth of it. Then he started to chuckle. Then laugh. He'd almost reached the point of it being full-on uncontrollable laughter before Augusta spoke up.

"Lord Potter!" she admonished him. "Try to remember you're a Head of House, and where you are!"

Harry struggled but it still took him quite a while to get himself back to a point he could speak.

"Don't you get it?" he chortled. "Hermione's right! He knew! He knew, and he still let me do it!" Then he broke out into laughter again. And it was a little while before he again managed control of himself. Hermione and Susan got it and were also giggling a little.

"He... let me do it," said Harry, still calming down and somewhat amazed. "He let me do it, so I had fun on one of my last days there! Oh, Myrrdin; you sly old fox!"

"Then why didn't you know he knew?" asked Hermione again.

"Because I didn't think to go looking for if he did," replied Harry. "You can't see everything. There wasn't enough time or you'd spend all your time just watching instead of learning and studying."

Suddenly remembering where he was he looked up at the Queen and said, "Sorry, Your Majesty. That... was rude."

"No need to apologise, My Lord Potter," the Queen smiled back. "We, too, were amused."

Finally calming right down Harry leaned forward, sighed a little, and asked, "Now that you've seen Myrrdin's message. Are there any questions?"

It was Dan who spoke first, "That was a nice bit of holographic... whatever it was... but how do we know it was true? Or even that that man was Merlin? And these memory cubes of which he spoke, how do we know they won't harm our children?"

As he asked, Harry was nodding his head. "We were expecting these sorts of questions, so I'm going to do something Amelia and Augusta, and Susan and Neville, know means this is no joke.

"I do not have a wand yet as I won't be going to purchase it until my birthday," Harry continued. "So, Madam Augusta, may I borrow yours?"

Augusta drew her wand from her sleeve and handed it to Susan without a word. Susan then leaned over Neville and handed it to Harry. Clearly Augusta knew what Harry was about to do; and it looked, so did Amelia.

Holding the wand out in front of him Harry stated in a solemn voice, "I, Harry James Potter, Earl of Slytherin, Head of House Slytherin, Head of House Potter and Heir to the House of Black, do solemnly swear on my magics and my life, that the message I played before this gathering, was of Myrrdin Emrys, also known as Merlin Ambrosius. And do also swear that what was relayed by him to this gathering in his message was and is true as I know it to be. I further swear that I will not knowingly lie, and have not knowingly lied, on any matter we gathered here have discussed this day. However, I reserve the right to not answer any question; but, if I do, then that answer will be the truth as I know it. So mote it be! So mote it be!"

A flash of light appeared to radiate from Harry, just once.

No one said a word as Harry then held the wand by its grip and said, "Lumos!" and the tip brightly lit up. "Nox!" and the light extinguished.

Harry handed the wand back to Susan then reached his right hand, first showing one of his rings, out towards the cube. And willed it to float gently over to his palm.

"Augusta," asked Harry quietly. "Could you relate to Her Majesty and the Grangers just what it meant when I did that?"

Still completely stunned by what Harry did, Augusta haltingly said, "Yes... Of course... My Lord."

Then, gathering herself, she explained, "Lord Potter just made an unbreakable vow. As an emancipated minor he is now an adult in the eyes of magical law. So, he could do it and be bound by it. He then demonstrated that what has been discussed here, and with Her Majesty earlier, was true by lighting the tip of his... my... wand with his magics. And he is clearly not now dead.

"However, I have no idea how he managed to make that crystal float over to his hand."

"Thank you, Madam Longbottom," said Harry. "In answer to that, I used wandless magic. You will recall Myrrdin said one of the teaching cubes can teach Neville, Susan and Hermione how to use it."

"And if I do not allow Hermione to go to Hogwarts, now that I know of this?" asked Dan.

"If us four Heirs do not stand together in the Great Hall, then the world, as we know it, will probably end," said Harry, flatly.

Giving that a few moments to sink in, he then said more calmly, "If Riddle wins against me, he will take over the wizarding world in Britain. There is no one that we know of likely to stop him. Not just magical folk will die either, just as it did in the 70s right through to late 1980, many non-magical folk will also die. The rest of the magical world will then shut itself off from Britain.

"Riddle, unstopped, will then work to take over the mundane world of the United Kingdom and Ireland. He will then attempt to enslave everyone. Those he can't enslave he will kill. This will then lead to involvement from Europe in self-preservation. Then, even more nations will become involved. And there is then every likelihood of global war."

Dan went white; Emma was not far behind him.

"If the four Heirs unite in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the prophecy states, '_They shall defeat evil and restore order to magical kind_'. 'They. Shall _Defeat_...'. That's pretty cut and dried," said Harry.

"M... Merlin was understating things when he said he only takes a hand if he feels it's necessary, didn't he?" asked Dan.

Harry smiled and said, "I found him to be quite modest, yes."

"And these... magical... cubes of yours?" asked Amelia.

"Will give Susan, Neville and Hermione," said Harry as he indicated them, "The greatest arsenal of knowledge, across many disciplines, we could devise in the time Myrrdin and I had to aid them in their endeavours with me in this."

"How long will it take?" she asked.

"I don't know for sure but it's speed will depend of the capability of the mind to which it is applied," replied Harry. "The first cube will take about eight hours to do its job. That is, give them the knowledge and ability to... reorder, for wont of a better word... their conscious memories. And the knowledge of how to shield their minds, Occlumency. By the time we reach 1st September they will be skilled Occlumens and have their mental walls up.

"Though the cube will take about eight hours, it is then up to them to put the knowledge it's given them into practice. That should take at least two full days. I plan on giving them two and a half, meaning I would return three nights later with the next cube. After that it's pretty much a new one each night.

"The scariest ones for you, watching your loved ones, is the first one. When someone is reordering their memories and knowledge, they're going to appear to be... staring off into space... for long periods of time. But you can easily grab their attention if you need or want to, even if it's just to check on them. Think of them as someone who has focussed all their attention on solving a problem, or reading a good book, and you'll have a pretty good idea.

"I can also stop at any time, as requested by them or by you, their guardians, and they will retain what they've already... absorbed. But each new cube after the first will have no effect on their day-to-day activities. They will simply have all this new knowledge they didn't have the day before.

"If we're able to run through all the cubes in quick succession, without a break after the first, it's going to take just over two weeks to reach the end."

"How do they work, My Lord?" asked Amelia.

"Essentially, they're a... different form of a pensieve," replied Harry.

Before he could continue Emma interrupted. "A pensieve?" she asked.

"A wizard is able to extract from their minds a copy of different memories," replied Harry. "These memories can then be put into a device called a pensieve, which will allow another, or others, to see the memories for themselves. They are very useful in law enforcement when questioning witnesses; or for showing someone something you saw and want them to see.

"The cubes have certain of my memories stored in them," he continued. "They are of what Myrrdin taught me and I learned for myself. And they're ordered in such a way that the subject matter is... compartmentalised... to make it easier for those using them to absorb the information in a logical form."

"But a pensieve of memories only works if you're awake and you actively watch the memories. It's almost as if you're there as the memory is being developed," explained Amelia.

"If you watch a memory," she continued, "Then time within it flows normally. That would mean it would take years to learn from your memories what you've learned."

"Yes," said Harry. "And that's where these cubes differ from a pensieve.

"You see, the subconscious mind is able to absorb information at an incredibly fast rate; far faster than your five senses - sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste - can detect the information. So, Myrrdin spent years developing that magical technology to what we would need. Each cube stores years of learning and training - my learning and training - compresses it and speeds the time up. Then, when activated, sends the information into the mind of the recipient at an incredibly rapid rate but slow enough for the subconscious to accept it while the body is in sleep state.

"Think of it as watching a one and a half hour video... or pensieve memory... in only a few seconds. But, when you then think about it, you'll be able to recall the entire video.. or memory... in great detail and clarity at normal speed, slow speed, high speed and even paused."

"So, Merlin is going to be teaching us?" asked Susan excitedly.

"You would be receiving the memories of me being taught by Merlin," replied Harry. "So, in effect, it'll seem as if he was teaching you."

"A.. and these cubes will help keep my daughter safe?" asked Emma.

"Ma'am, I cannot guarantee anyone's safety; especially not my own. No one can promise that in any situation. Life, itself, is inherently dangerous," said Harry solemnly. "However, with the four of us working together, we stand to be the safest we can be given the situation confronting us."

Emma sighed and slumped her shoulders, then looked at Dan who looked back and nodded in resignation with his head bowed.

"Madam Longbottom, Madam Bones; how say you?" Harry asked them.

Both witches looked at each other for a few moments. Then both looked at Harry and nodded. Maybe, reluctantly, but they nodded.

"And that leaves the other Heirs," said Harry.

"Hermione?" he asked, looking at her.

"Oh, yes! Yes, please!" she said, with glee and anticipation.

Looking at Susan he then asked, "Susan?"

"Yes," she firmly said.

"And, Neville?" he asked Neville.

"Yeah, I guess," he said.

"No, Nev," Harry firmly replied. "If you're not sure then I won't go ahead. I will not force you to do anything you would not _want_ to do."

Neville then looked back at Harry for moment before taking a deep breath, squaring his shoulders, and saying firmly, "Then, Yes; I'm in."

Harry smiled back before then turning to look at the Queen.

"Your Majesty," Harry said formally. "You are our Queen. As this is a matter of national importance, _at least_, the ultimate decision lies with you. Without your consent, I would not proceed."

Harry then watched the Queen be a little surprised Harry had placed this on her. He could also see from her expression She quickly knew why he did it; and knew he was right.

She sat just a tiny bit straighter and said, "My Lord Harry James Potter; you are, without a doubt, the most astonishing young man We have ever met. We believe you are more than capable of carrying out the task you have before you.

"However, if you believe at any time you believe you may fail, We would hear of it immediately. At which time, _We_ will act."

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry formally. "I am your humble servant."

"Then, as you have the agreement of the Heirs and their families, you may proceed," She said. "However, We will not make it a command. They all must be allowed to make their own choices."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Harry, and bowed where he was sitting.

"As of right now, this is a matter of security of the realm," the Queen said. "We would not have any of you discuss it with anyone outside of this group. The exception will be to only explain enough to people who need to know something to be able to do their job; nothing more. We command it."

"Madam Bones and Madam Longbottom," She said, turning to the two witches. "We understand your homes are magically protected?"

Both witches said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then We would ask you to... strengthen... those protections," The Queen said. "You now have within your care two of Our Peers and We would have them safe."

"I can have teams of Aurors trained in personal protection providing security at both the Longbottom and our manors," said Amelia. "I will also arrange for Aurors trained in warding magic to strengthen the wards at both."

Turning to the Grangers, the Queen said, "Captain and Mrs Granger; We understand your home is not able to be warded in the same manner as the Bones' and Longbottoms' manors."

"Errr... Your Majesty," said Dan, tentatively, "I'm retired. I'm a dentist now."

"Are you attempting to correct Us,... Major?" asked the Queen with a frown.

"Ahhh... No, Ma'am! Of course not, Ma'am!" he spluttered.

"We thought not," She said. "Your commission is, as of this moment, reactivated."

Then, raising her voice a little, she called out, "Colonel!"

Colonel Benton came over from where he was sitting with other members of the Queens retinue. "Yes, Ma'am?" he asked.

"I have reactivated Major Granger's commission," She said. "His primary tasking is to provide security for one of Our Peers, his daughter. We would have him prepared for that task, and assisted."

"Yes, Ma'am," the colonel replied. "I can have him assigned to detached duties in the Diplomatic Protection Detail on covert operations."

"Excellent suggestion, Colonel," She said. "We would see it done."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said before turning to Dan. "Major, upon finishing here we shall proceed down to the armoury of the Home Guard where upon you shall receive your load out. I shall also have MI5 come to your home. They shall be dressed as tradespeople, and they shall fit your home with advanced security systems."

"Yes, Sir," said Dan, a bit stunned by the speed things were being arranged.

"As threats would probably come from the wizarding world I can also have an Auror detail assigned to watch the Grangers' property, Your Majesty," said Amelia.

"We think that would be wise," replied the Queen, with approval. "Colonel?"

"I would never refuse an offer of assistance from a trained security force if it improves the safety of my Queen and her peers, Your Majesty," he said, before turning to Amelia. "I believe a way can be worked out where we can co-ordinate our efforts, and I thank you for the offer."

Bowing to the Queen, the colonel headed off.

"My Lord Potter," the Queen said, looking at Harry. "As you only arrived back in this... reality this morning, and your little house elf has assumed your place in the Dursley household, you would have no home, at present."

"Ummm... Your Majesty," said Harry, "I was going to go check out the Potter Manor and sort things to rights there. If it's currently uninhabitable, I was just going to get a hotel room so I could quickly come and go as needed. Then return there during the days and work towards repairing it."

"We will _not_ have you staying at a hotel, My Lord Potter," the Queen disagreed. "There is guest rooms within the palace here. We do understand you need to visit the Bones, Longbottom and Granger residences often while those cubes of yours are... being utilised. So, We will arrange for you to have immediate access so you may come and go at any time."

Knowing he would lose the argument if he tried, Harry relented. "Thank you, Your Majesty," he said instead.

Augusta, who'd been quiet for quite some time, asked Harry, "Where have you been, if I may ask, My Lord?"

"As Myrrdin said, he cannot take a hands-on role in what's going on here without causing a time paradox," explained Harry. "So, he created a, as I called it, pocket reality outside of normal time and space. He could go there and he was able to pull me there. That's how he could also adjust time.

"He then sent me back to this, the... normal reality... at just after 9.00am this morning. I arrived back here in amongst the trees in St James Park across from the western end of Downing Street."

Sitting bolt upright and staring at him, Amelia exclaimed, "That was you?"

Harry nodded.

"I had a frustrating day, today, trying to discover what that was," she said. "I sent a team of Aurors with Obliviators to the spot, expecting a child with great power to have caused a major accidental magic event. They found nothing. Not even a blade of grass out of place."

"Yeah," said a sheepish Harry. "I'd figured someone would come along pretty quickly. As soon as I arrived I simply walked away and across the road. I didn't even look back. Sorry to have caused you so much work."

Amelia just snorted and grumbled.

"Okay, then," said Harry. "What to do now. If I may be so bold as to set this going?"

"One moment, My Lord Potter," Her Majesty said.

"Oh, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "Of course."

"You were telling Us about the night your parents died before We sent you away with the colonel," she said. "We would hear more."

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "I just figured we had already... taken of your time enough for one day."

"It is Our time to do as We will," she replied. "And We do not consider We are done just yet."

"Err.. Yes, Ma'am," said Harry, with contrition.

"I believe I was up to the point where Sirius had been grabbed by the Aurors, who thought he had killed the Potters, including me, and then went on to kill thirteen mundanes and Peter Pettigrew.

"I also explained earlier how Sirius was thrown into Azkaban under orders by Barty Crouch and Minister Bagnold without a trial," he said.

"And, Madam Bones, I really do want you to get Sirius out of there as quick as you can," he said. "Say... you decided to review matters of those frantic couple of months and noticed a discrepancy in the records of that night. Then get him his trial and Veritaserum Potion him on the stand. Then, go ask Dumbledore why he didn't come forward with the information about Pettigrew being the Secret-Keeper. That should keep Dumbles on his toes while us Heirs get on with things before 1st September. Then I would want you at Hogwarts on 2nd September to pick up Pettigrew; he will be there."

"Yes, My Lord," she replied. "I can do that."

"That way, Madam Bones," he went on, "In capturing Peter Pettigrew there, you will have an excuse to post Aurors at the school."

"Ah!" said Amelia, understanding. "Yes, that can be arranged. Definitely."

"Next, I know Her Majesty would like a complete copy of the Magical Laws of wizarding Britain," Harry stated, before turning to the Queen and saying, "I know you have not asked for them yet, but I know you will want trusted members of your legal staff to go over them and review them. This will give your people time to review and advise before us four Heirs go into the Wizengamot and start kicking a few well deserving... behinds."

"That, My Lord, is an excellent suggestion," said the Queen, approvingly.

"Well, with that, I cheated, Your Majesty," replied Harry with a smile. "I already knew you were going to be asking for them sooner or later."

The Queen smiled a little in response.

"Next," said Harry, turning to look at Augusta. "We will need trustworthy Proxies found for the four Earldoms and the House of Potter. Madam Longbottom, I like you and trust you. Would you be willing to lead the search to find suitable candidates for each? Of course, Susan, Neville and Hermione may want someone else to do it, such as Madam Bones for Susan, but I'm putting my two bob's worth in first to ask. I reserve the right to make my own decision on it when the time comes, but recommendations would be gratefully accepted."

"I...," said Augusta a little surprised at the request. "I would be deeply honoured, Lord Potter."

"Yeah, for me, too!" said Hermione. "I wouldn't know who to pick."

"You'll need to find one for me, too, Gran," said Neville. "Errr... Grandmother."

"Ummm... What's a Proxy?" asked Hermione.

"A Proxy is someone who will represent you as Head of House on the Wizengamot if you believe you cannot take up your seat at that time," replied Augusta. "As you will attending school and fixing problems there for a while, a Proxy would be a good idea."

"Oh," Hermione replied understanding. "Then, yes, definitely."

"I also ask that you consider Arthur Weasley and Remus Lupin for the roles of my Proxies, but that doesn't mean I will end up selecting them," said Harry.

"Of course, My Lord," replied Augusta.

"Now," said Harry, returning back to his talk, "While all that mess with Sirius was going on, Rubeus Hagrid had arrived at the Potter Cottage. He claimed Dumbledore had sent him to collect me. Which makes you _then_ wonder how Dumbledore knew I was alive, let alone that both my parents were dead. Hagrid took me back to Hogwarts on Sirius's flying motorcycle and into the school's hospital ward. Dumbledore met Hagrid, and me of course, as we arrived.

"On examination, Poppy Pomfrey, the school medi-witch, discovered a piece of dark magic associated with the wound on my forehead. She discovered it was a piece of Riddle's soul stuck to me as a soul-leech..." said Harry, but was interrupted by gasps from Amelia and Augusta.

"My Lord," said Augusta. "Please do not speak of such things!"

"Madam Longbottom, that is not the worst of it," said Harry firmly. "Dumbledore ordered Poppy to heal my wound as best she could. But Poppy did not have the skills to remove the leech. Dumbledore should have immediately ordered me to be taken to St Mungo's to get it removed. Instead, he had me kept there for about the next twenty four hours to make sure I was otherwise okay."

"What?!" both Augusta and Amelia exclaimed.

"But that... that's... reprehensible!" Augusta further exclaimed.

"Don't worry too much about it," said Harry. "Myrrdin removed it very soon after I arrived in... that other place."

"And it's yet another law he's broken," growled Amelia.

"It's yet another thing he did that would have led to the loss of everything we hold dear," said Harry.

"The next morning," Harry continued, "he sent Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress, to the Dursley residence and to spy on the house. As she was an animagus with the form of a tabby cat, she could easily hide in plain sight and watch.

"That night, after nothing else could be found wrong with me, Dumbledore called Hagrid back to the hospital wing. And had him take me to the Dursley house on Sirius's motorcycle. Shortly after Hagrid left, he obliviated Poppy of all knowledge of the soul leech still attached to me. Yes, another broken law.

"When Hagrid arrived at the Dursley residence, Dumbledore and McGonagall were waiting for him. Dumbledore then took me from Hagrid's arms and pinned a note to the blanket in which I was wrapped. Then he left me on the doorstep, pushed the doorbell and walked away. That's child abandonment.

"He knew how the Dursleys felt about magic and how bitter my... relative... was about my mother being a witch when she wasn't. And the monitoring charms he placed upon the house kept him apprised of what was really going on.

"And that is about it for my tale," finished Harry.

"Thank you, My Lord Potter," said the Queen. "But you could have told them about how you were treated, and would have been treated, at the hands of the Dursleys. Myrrdin was right when he said you have nothing of which to be ashamed or embarrassed."

"Lord Potter," said Emma quietly, drawing Harry's attention.

'Oh, ohhh!' thought Harry.

"What happened to you while you were at the Durleys?" Emma continued in a voice dripping with venom.

"It's the Dursleys, Ma'am," said Harry trying to make himself disappear. "And I would rather you and the others here not know."

"Why not?" she flatly asked.

"Uhhhh... Because, including Her Majesty, there are five parents or guardians here," he meekly replied. "A...And I know how you would react. And I can't afford you, any of you, to 'lose it' and end up with Dumbledore knowing things had changed at the Dursleys when we are _soooo_ close to the 1st September."

"Tell. Me. Now!" she said in a very quiet and low tone.

"Tell her, Lord Potter," the Queen quietly said. "Tell them all."

'Oh, God!' Harry thought. 'The Royal Magic of command.'

"I was... verbally and... physically... abused," said Harry, struggling against the magic. "Wh... when Myrrdin... rescued me... I had... a concussion from a beating..."

Harry knew he wasn't going to resist the magic, so gave in.

Sighing, he went on to say, "I was severely malnourished. I was only allowed to eat table scraps. I had poison within the skin of my hands from pulling weeds all day, every day, making my hands red raw and swollen. My bedroom was the cupboard under the stairs, my bed was an old dog's basket, and I would often be locked in there for days at a time. I had poorly healed fractures in my arms, one leg and some ribs. I have scarring on my body from my time there. I would be forced to do all the housework. I thought my name was 'Freak' until Myrrdin rescued me because that was the only thing my... relative... would call me. I received no love and was despised by them all because my parents were a wizard and a witch. They intended to beat the magic out of me if I showed any signs I had it."

Once Harry wound down he sat with his head bowed and waited...

Surprisingly, the first one to react was Hermione. She shifted across into his lap and hugged him.

But her moving triggered the reaction he was expecting.

"_WHAT?!_" And the wall of sound hit him. He heard snatches of 'The hero of the wizarding world', 'under four years old', 'trying to beat magic out?', 'I think I may take my load out now' from Dan, and a few others.

Hermione didn't move. She just hugged him even tighter and held on.

Harry didn't know if it was the Queen wielding her magic again as he had his eyes closed, but the noise subsided very quickly after about ten seconds.

"There's more," said the Queen quietly. "From what Myrrdin said earlier today in his message to Us, Dumbledore knew _all_ about how Harry was being treated. He has magical monitoring on the Dursley home."

Again, stunned silence.

"To hell with a trial," said Amelia coldly. "I'm going to kill him myself."

"No, you will not," the Queen stated matter-of-factly. "We have been considering this matter carefully, and Lord Potter is correct. Mister Dumbledore and the Dursleys will be punished in due course, but it is going to have to be put on abeyance."

"Your Majesty," said Amelia, "he has broken the law and I am charged with upholding it. I am required to arrest him."

"And We are the final arbiter of law," responded the Queen. "It is Our decision that this wait. Mister Dumbledore is not going anywhere as he believes his plans are in place. The Dursleys are not going anywhere as they believe Harry is still with them. Knowing what our enemy is going to do in advance means We have control. If We move too soon against the Dursleys and Dumbledore those plans collapse.

"We shall also not be moving against Our Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, as Myrrdin and Lord Potter have asked us not to."

Amelia sighed and nodded her head.

"We still do not understand why you need that first year, Lord Potter," said the Queen turning to Harry.

"Because the problem of widespread passive sedition begins at Hogwarts. It is the core of how the wizarding world in Britain thinks as it does," replied Harry.

"Explain, please, My Lord Potter," the Queen instructed.

Harry nodded and, asked Hermione to hop off before he began.

"The attitudes of wizards and witches to, well, just about everything that is wrong with the wizarding world, starts there," he said. "From birth to their eleventh year, those born within the wizarding world have magic all around them all the time. So, they grow up knowing about magic. And they grow up learning a fair bit about the wizarding world's traditions.

"Mundane borns, however, have no idea about the wizarding world until they receive their letter inviting them to Hogwarts hand-delivered by the person who is the current Deputy Head at Hogwarts. Then they learn of their... heritage... but nothing else. They have no idea about traditions, or right and wrongs relating only to the wizarding world.

"Then they attend Hogwarts. At Hogwarts they're ridiculed for not knowing things magical-raised children already know. And the pure bloods despise them because they, the pure bloods and other magical raised, see mundane-raised children as just stomping all over their traditions. That is just plain stupid.

"Now, at Hogwarts the children attend classes that average out to about four-to-five hours a day, five days a week. A select few will have the extracurricular activity of this sport called Quidditch. For the rest, and the rest of the time, there is nothing to do but some homework. That leaves a lot of children with nothing to do, and idle hands are the devil's work.

"You would also think there would be a class for mundane-raised children to be able to attend to learn about the culture and traditions of the magical world. After all, the school has them for approximately nine months of the year during their formative years of eleven or twelve to seventeen or eighteen depending on what month of the year they were born.

"Further, I would expect a class on mundane culture and traditions for the magically-raised. However, all they get is a short weekly class on what is called 'muggle studies'. And even then it's pretty much optional. Even calling it by that name means the magical community are... conditioned... to use that offensive term. And, worse, the class material is so horribly out of date or just plain wrong as to be worthless in its current form.

"Magical-raised children, in general, are led to believe that 'muggles' are silly, not as intelligent or wise as magicals, but have some clever toys. The mundane-raised, in general, think the magical-raised, especially the pure bloods, are just plain daft. Especially, as they give all the appearance of living in the Victorian era.

"Let's look at the example of the Hogwarts Express. All children attending Hogwarts are required to board the train at Kings Cross station on 1st September. They then endure a seven hour train ride to the western Scottish lowlands. For magical-raised children this is a tradition that allows them to catch up with friends across Houses, and otherwise network. To get to Kings Cross they can be side-along apparated, floo'ed or portkeyed to get there in just a few moments from anywhere in the United Kingdom or Ireland.

"However, let's look at a mundane-raised by mundane parents. A family lives in northern Ireland has to fly and drive all the way down to London, negotiate London's notorious traffic snarls, and get their children to the station. That will often require an overnight stop somewhere, usually just outside of London. Once at the station, only their child going off to Hogwarts can get onto the correct platform as mundanes cannot get through the barrier.

"Also, the trip for the children would have been much simpler, faster and less draining if they had simply travelled to Hogwarts directly. And they _know_ it. So, you now have the mundane-raised children on the train whining about how stupid it was to ride the Hogwarts Express, and the magically-raised retorting that mundane-raised were trampling on their traditions. And they've not even reached Hogwarts yet."

"It's that sort of issue, Your Majesty," Harry said to the Queen, "That has led to the current passive sedition by the majority of wizarding Britain's populace."

The Queen nodded and said, "We understand."

"Now here we have a bit of break," Harry went on. "Except for a very few, all magicals in Britain attend Hogwarts. Only if they attend another school overseas are they excused from attending. It is a requirement under the existing laws to attend school or have your wand snapped, your magical core bound and pretty much eviction from the community. There are no exceptions.

"This is why Myrrdin and I planned for us four Heirs to start early. We are in a position to do something about changing attitudes and the conditions at Hogwarts; get them while they're young. That way we begin to change the attitudes of the community as a whole.

"As for the other end of that chain, the Ministry and the Wizengamot, most who work there hold their positions through old money and connections. When Riddle was supposed to be resurrected, a lot of those people would side with him and show their true colours. In the ensuring short war Riddle would lose, and a lot of the pure blood families who came out in support of him, get wiped out. That would have included families such as Crabbe, Goyle, MacNair, Malfoy, Mulciber, Nott and Yaxley, to name a few.

"Families that survive included Bones, Longbottom, Potter, Weasley and - funnily enough - Black, due specifically to Sirius allying himself with the 'light' families against Riddle. But a lot of his family joined Riddle and died or were imprisoned.

"It's this massive blow to a lot of the pure blood families that would have allowed the four Heirs to start forcing changes to law within the wizarding world to bring things back on balance after being weighed towards the dark by Riddle and his followers.

"As I will be working towards stopping Riddle's resurrection by hunting down and destroying his soul-anchors - thereby, releasing his soul to the afterlife and effectively 'killing him' in the process as required by the prophecy - a lot of those families are not going to be lost. And their votes on the Wizengamot will be against us.

"This is where we'll also be working as the four Earldoms to force them to comply. If they try to use threats and intimidation the four Heirs will have power to spare to smack them down... hard. One will be the training and knowledge the cubes will give them. Another will be Her Majesty's authority over them. And the third will be their own laws as they currently stand."

Harry gave that a moment to be digested before continuing.

"Another reason I want the year is for your people, Your Majesty," Harry said looking to the Queen. "Many mundane-borns were unable to secure employment, or otherwise make a life for themselves, within the wizarding world and have returned to the mundane world, sometimes quite bitter. I now understand your Royal Wizard, Sir Kingston, has proven to be one of these. And this has gone on for quite some time.

"Give MI5 the writ to go through old school records right across the nation. Tell them they're looking for children who attended schools until their eleventh year of age then disappeared from records. Then, look for them to resurface six, seven or even eight years later appearing to be uneducated and requiring education, or are working in menial jobs. There will be at least hundreds of them, if not thousands. Especially, start with your militaries and police forces; mundane-born magicals tend to drift towards that occupation.

"Track them down and you'll find a great many of them willing to come work for Your Government within the existing military, intelligence or police, if they don't already; or just be attached to them to deal with the trouble. If I fail against Riddle, or the four of us otherwise fail, you will have the forces necessary to go into the wizarding world and force your will upon them.

"So, there you have it. That is the core of what Myrrdin and I have been planning for many years," Harry finished.

"Any suggestions or comments?" he asked.

"Merlin!" said Amelia. "As Her Majesty said, you really are the most astonishing person I've _ever_ met. They're not going to know what hit them!"

"I wondered why you wanted the year," mused Dan. "Now, I understand."

"I'm not happy with the idea of Her Majesty having to come in with her own forces," said Augusta. "But, I can see why it would become necessary, if you fail."

"Now, for why I don't want Dumbledore touched until we're ready," Harry went on. "Dumbledore is still seen as a hero in the eyes of the wizarding world. He is Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, holder of the Order of Merlin First Class, long-term respected Headmaster of Hogwarts, leader of the Order of the Phoenix, the only person its known Riddle fears, and so-called leader of the light. Plus, he has a fire phoenix as a familiar, so people automatically think that must make him a 'good guy'.

"As such many people could not conceive of him possibly doing any wrong. And he can tell people to do something, even when they know it to be illegal, because its Dumbledore who told them to do it. And, they believe Dumbledore can do no wrong.

"People like Minerva McGonagall, Rubeus Hagrid, Arabella Figg, Poppy Pomfrey, have all believed Dumbledore when they've taken concerns to him and he told them he would sort it out. But, not one of them then followed it up with him, which makes me wonder if they've been obliviated or similar.

"So, we need to destroy that reputation before, or in the process of, taking him down. We need to show the wizarding world the man he truly is. Otherwise, he'll _never_ serve time for his crimes.

"A lot of the evidence against him is easily found. And you, Madam Bones," said Harry, turning to Amelia, "are in an excellent position to gather it."

"However, I know that at least two of your senior Aurors, Alastor Moody definitely and possibly Kingsley Shacklebolt, report on everything straight to him. And there are others who report to the dark families. So, you're going to need to come up with a way to identify those who will expose to others what you're doing - what we're doing - before you give _any_ of your Aurors a task associated with this."

"Also, you weren't here when I identified another matter of importance for Her Majesty. That of the actions of the so-called Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Old Fudge knows it's his duty to report what's going on in the magical world to the Prime Minister. Instead, he enters the Prime Minister's Office and obliviates him telling him that they had a meeting and it was wide-ranging and productive; before he then leaves. We know he's done this on at least four occasions, so far."

"He what?!" said Amelia, shocked.

"Second on that," Harry continued not answering, "Fudge had also _bugged_ the Prime Minister's Office, so he could listen in on meetings the Prime Minister had within his office with anyone on any matter. I have already rendered the device useless and it now provides Fudge with false information. And we know it was Fudge who did it because he entered the office only a few minutes after I destroyed the original device, and he was carrying an exact duplicate replacement for it in his pocket.

"Fudge is fomenting sedition and is a traitor to the Crown. He is also taking a great many bribes from the rich families and from Dumbledore. If you check his financials the evidence will be there in plain sight.

"But Fudge is Her Majesty's to deal with. So, once you have the evidence, please hand it off to Her people. He is Her Minister, and will feel Her... wrath... first," said Harry smiling to the Queen.

The Queen nodded her head firmly in return.

"As for '_The Daily Prophet_', the wizarding world newspaper, they've also an important part to play. So far they've aided, knowingly or unknowingly, the sedition that's occurring. In the original timeline they actively spoke out against what the four Heirs were doing, and did. In Dumbledore's interference timeline they called me a spoiled, attention-seeking brat who did nothing but lie.

"In this timeline, if they print just one lie about us," said Harry holding an index finger up "So help me God, I'll buy the bloody paper lock, stock and barrel; and put in staff who understand the meaning of the word 'truth'.

"Too many magical folk take what is written within that rag as the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I will not allow it to subvert what needs to be done."

"And, believe it or not, I'm done with what I need to say today," said Harry, just about slumping in his seat. "Phew!"

"Any questions?" he asked.

Lots of shaking of heads before Hermione spoke up excitedly, "When can we start with the cubes?"

"That's up to your parents and you, 'Mione," replied Harry.

"As soon as you're ready," said Dan.

"I think that would be best," said Augusta.

Amelia just nodded.

Susan and Neville had big grins of excitement on their faces matching the one on Hermione's.

"Between nine and ten, then?" asked Harry.

"Earlier, please," replied Augusta. "It's been a long day."

Amelia, Dan and Emma all nodded in agreement.

"Okay," said Harry. "I'll turn up at 8.30pm at the Longbottoms, then the Boneses, and finally Hermione, as she's the oldest."

Another four nods from the adults and it was settled.

The meeting broke up almost immediately afterwards. The Queen left first after telling Harry a Page would escort him to his rooms. The Grangers joined the colonel, and a Page led the Longbottoms and the Boneses back to the fireplace in the Queen's Audience Room.

# # #

Harry's suite was huge. He was told his was the suite offered to visiting overseas guests. He even had his own maid and butler - who both assured him they knew of the magical world. They introduced themselves as Michael, the butler, and Samantha, the maid.

When Michael asked where his luggage was being stored Harry pulled out a tiny trunk from within his satchel, put it on the floor and cast the minor cantrip that expanded it back to original size. Though the maid and butler said they knew of the magical world they clearly had not seen such a thing. Thankfully, both recovered fast enough.

Michael simply walked forward, opened it and started unloading the contents into a wardroom and chest of drawers in the bedroom.

Samantha led Harry through the small suite - a sitting room, a bedroom and an en suite - and identified how Michael could be summoned if he needed anything.

She then departed saying she would have the evening meal brought in for him soon.

Harry flopped into a large couch within the room, laid his head back and groaned.

'Day one's tasks complete, Myrrdin,' he thought. 'And we're more advanced in the planning stage than either of us expected to be. Tonight, we start on the cubes.'

# # #


	8. The Cubes' Magic

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Eight - The Cubes' Magic

After Michael left, but not before once more showing Harry his rooms and how to summon him, Harry spent his time waiting for dinner by looking out the windows across the parade ground and watching events out there unfold. It amused him.

Then he sat on the couch, turned the television on and watched some TV.

'It's nothing like Myrrdin's time viewer, but it'll do,' he thought.

# # #

After a very delicious dinner Harry waited until about 8.00pm. He changed into a light mundane business suit without a tie. Then grabbed the box of cubes off the top of the chest of drawers where Michael put them, and dropped them into his satchel. He turned off the television and left a note saying he'd be back at about 9.30pm on the coffee table in front of the couch in case someone came looking for him.

Changing momentarily into his animagus form he used the powers of the phoenix to flash to the same spot within the park where he first arrived. And changed his appearance back to that of a young man of about twenty.

A quick apparate later and he was in the same spot where he arrived earlier in the day with the colonel outside the Longbottom Manor.

He walked up to the door and knocked.

Once again, the little house elf, Penny, opened the door. "Yes, mister?" she asked.

"Could you inform Mistress Longbottom that the most astonishing young man she had ever met was here for his appointment?" asked Harry.

"Yessir," said Penny. "You be waiting in the parlour, please."

Harry entered and walked into the Longbottom Manor parlour just as he did earlier that day. The little elf popped away to alert Augusta.

A few moments later Augusta walked in with her wand at the ready. "Yes?" she asked suspiciously.

"One moment, Madam Longbottom," replied Harry, and dropped his glamour.

Augusta watched him do it and blinked at what she saw before her. "Lord Potter?" she asked. "How did you do that?"

"A minor Glamour Charm with a bit of wandless magic," replied Harry. "What you saw is the young adult I will grow to become, just without the scar.

"I thought it best to use the glamour so no one who was watching with magical eyes would be able to see '_the Great Harry Potter_' approach and enter your home," he said, with a bit of a disgust on 'the Great Harry Potter'.

"I also think it would be best to begin employing passwords," he went on. "So that later, someone employing a similar charm or Polyjuice Potion, will not be able to impersonate me and come in."

"A wise precaution, My Lord," she said, 'resleeving' her wand.

"Neville's getting ready for bed," she continued. "We can go up to his bedroom, shortly. However, I must warn you, I don't think he'll be able to go to sleep. He's too excited."

"That won't be a problem, Ma'am," replied Harry. "The cube will put him to sleep very quickly. And you won't hear a peep out him before tomorrow morning."

"Will the cube wake him once it's finished?" she asked. "I don't want him to wake at 5.00am and not be able to sleep."

"If he needs it he'll stay asleep until he wakes as he normally does. He'll just change from an induced sleep into a normal sleep. The only difference is that he may then shift around in bed and knock the cube off his forehead. But, by then, it will have done its job and become inert."

Augusta nodded and called the elf back, "Penny!"

*pop* "Yes, Mistress?"

"Is Master Neville ready for bed?"

"Yes, Mistress! Master Neville be sitting on bed and waiting."

"Good. Thank you, Penny," said Augusta.

The little elf popped away again. To... wherever it was the little house elves went.

"This way, My Lord," said Augusta, before turning on her heels and leading the way.

Harry followed her up the stairs and down a short hallway before coming to a closed door. She knocked a couple times and, after hearing a hesitant 'Come in!', opened the door and walked in.

Neville was sitting on his bed in a pair of pyjamas, fidgeting.

"Hiya, Nev!" called Harry cheerfully.

"Hi... Harry," replied Neville nervously.

"Nervous?" asked Harry.

"Errr... Yeah," replied Neville a bit sheepishly.

Helping his friend out, Harry said, "Well, I've got a confession to make. So was I, the first time Merlin tried one of these on me."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Lord Potter cannot give you the cube if you're sitting on the bed, Neville," Augusta chided the young lad. "Come on; into bed."

Neville took a deep breath, stood up and flicked the covers back before climbing in. Then he pulled the blankets up and lay in the bed as stiff as a board.

While he was doing that Harry had brought his satchel around the front and removed the case of crystals.

Opening the case he removed the first one next to the letter 'N' and sat on the edge of Neville's bed twisted towards the clearly frightened boy. And, closing the case, put it back in his satchel. He held the first cube in the palm of his hand.

"Before we begin, Nev, I know something about you that you don't know yet," said Harry.

"Oh?" the boy asked.

"Yeah," replied Harry. "I know that you happen to be one of the bravest people I have ever, and will ever, meet. Inside you beats the heart of courage of the lion of Gryffindor."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Okay... Okay," the boy said in wonder, relaxing a bit.

"Now," said Harry. "Say goodnight to your grandmother."

Augusta walked across and bent to give Neville a kiss on his forehead. "See you in the morning, dear," she said.

"Goodnight, Gran," he replied.

"Oh, and before I forget - as if that is ever going to happen - if someone turns up on your door step and uses the word 'astonishing' in a sentence, it's probably me or someone sent by the Queen. I figured we can use a... _seeecret paaaassword_... between us," said Harry sounding all mysterious on 'secret password'.

Neville grinned in response.

Harry reached out and placed the cube on Neville's forehead. And, before the boy had a chance to tense back up again, tapped the top of the cube while saying, "Goodnight!"

And Neville was near-instantly asleep.

Getting up, Harry said to Augusta, "Okay. Are you going to be home during the day, tomorrow?"

"Yes," she said still staring at Neville, now with the cube on his forehead.

"He just looks like he's asleep," said Augusta with a frown.

"He is," replied Harry. "It's just a very deep sleep."

"Would you like me to come around and check on him?" he asked.

"Yes, please, My Lord," she said with what Harry heard to be a bit of gratefulness in her voice. "I want you to make sure he's okay."

"No, problem," said Harry. "I want to drop by Gringotts in the morning and find out more about my inheritance. Plus, see about Potter Manor. I can drop by after that?"

"Thank you, My Lord," she replied. Shaking herself out of her thoughts she then said, "Well, we best leave him to it. He needs his sleep."

Augusta then led Harry back downstairs and into the parlour. She walked right across to the fireplace and called the Ossuary.

"Amelia?" she asked.

"Hello, Gus," heard Harry.

"Are you ready for... your guest to come through?" she asked.

"We're ready," replied Amelia.

Harry then stepped up to the fireplace and, turning back for a moment, said, "See you tomorrow, Ma'am," before stepping through.

# # #

Stepping out of the fireplace, Harry was again greeted by a drawn wand.

He smiled and said, "I like that you're always ready, Ma'am. No matter how trustworthy you feel your friends are."

Smiling, nodding and resleeving her wand, Amelia said, "We of the DMLE need to be, My Lord."

And Susan walked into the room dressed in pyjamas with a fluffy dressing gown belted at the waist.

"Of course," said Harry to Amelia before glancing at Susan. "Oh, and before I forget to tell both of you, we need to put in place a password that identifies people in the know. I told Neville and Madam Longbottom to use the word 'astonishing' in a sentence. Because I don't want to be recognised, I often use a glamour of a man in his very early twenties with the same hair and eye colour. Just no scar."

Twitching an eyebrow just a little, Amelia replied, "A clever idea, My Lord."

"It's actually what I'll look like when I've actually become that age," said Harry. "There's less chance of someone being able to see through it. I'll have to change before I head off to the Grangers so you'll see it then."

Amelia nodded for a moment, turned to her young niece and said, "And it's off to bed with you, young lady. Hop in and pull the blankets up tight."

Susan said, "Okay!" and ran from the room.

"How were things at the Longbottoms'?" asked Amelia turning to Harry.

"Neville was a bit nervous, but he had every right to be," replied Harry. "I promised Madam Longbottom I'd come by and check on him late tomorrow morning. I know it's a Saturday, but would you like me to do the same for Susan?"

"Yes, please, My Lord," she replied. "I've already planned not to go into the office tomorrow. Just in case, you understand."

"Of course, I do," said Harry. "While Susan's setting her memories into a semblance of order, and then building her Occlumency shields, she's going to be 'off with the fairies' as the mundanes say. Better to have you around to remind her to eat."

"Off with the fairies?" asked Amelia quite shocked.

"It's just an expression, Madam Bones," said Harry calmly. "It means... daydreaming."

"Oh," said Amelia understanding. "What a funny way to put it."

Harry just smiled.

"Well," said Amelia shaking herself out of it. "We'd best go see how Susan is getting on."

Amelia led Harry down the hall to Susan's room, holding Harry back with a hand while she looked into the girl's room. When she saw that Susan was definitely in bed with the blankets drawn up tight, she motioned Harry to enter.

"Okay," said Harry walking over to Susan's bed and sitting on the edge of it like he did with Neville. "Susan, if you don't want me to do this, just say so and I won't. If it frightens you, then I won't."

"No," replied Susan excitedly. "I mean, I want you to do it!"

Harry nodded and brought out the cube case from his satchel. And removed the first one alongside the letter 'S', palming it in his hand while he closed the case and dropped it back into his satchel.

"You'll need to say goodnight to each other, you two, because as soon as I activate this Susan will be fast asleep," explained Harry.

Amelia nodded and stepped forward planting a kiss on Susan's forehead. As she stepped back she said, "Goodnight, dear."

"Goodnight, Aunt Amelia," replied Susan with a big grin.

Harry then reached out and placed the cube high on the excited girl's forehead, and promptly tapped it saying, "Goodnight."

Susan was, as with Neville, near-instantly asleep.

Amelia looked at her sound asleep niece and just shook her head in wonder.

"Now for the Grangers," said Harry.

Amelia nodded and led Harry back out to the lounge where the fireplace was located.

"What time may I expect you tomorrow, My Lord?" she asked.

"Well, I have to go to Gringotts first to find out about my properties and financial status - I promised the goblins - then Madam Longbottom will expect to see me. I expect to be here... about midday or shortly thereafter?" he replied.

"Then I shall expect you then," she replied.

Nodding, Harry asked, "Can I apparate out through your shields? The Grangers aren't connected to the floo network."

"Sorry, no, My Lord," she replied. "However, I'll see about having your apparation signature keyed in to the wards so you may in future."

"Thank you, Ma'am," he said. "In that case I'll walk out to the street after first casting my glamour and a Notice-Me-Not Charm, and apparate from there."

"Thank you, My Lord," said Amelia. "Goodnight."

Harry walked to the door. Stopped to recast his usual glamour and smiled at Amelia who appeared to be shocked, yet again, at Harry's casual use of wandless magic. A quick Notice-Me-Not and Harry walked out the door and onto the footpath. Then apparated.

# # #

With barely a sound Harry disapparated on the Grangers' front footpath and allowed the Notice-Me-Not Charm to fade away. He walked up to the door and knocked.

A few moments later the door opened part way with Dan Granger standing just off to the side behind the door.

"Hello, Major," said Harry with a smile. "You wouldn't happen to be holding an MP5, or something, behind your back, would you?"

"Who are you?" asked Dan with a frown.

"I'm someone whom today the Queen called the most astonishing young man she'd ever met. I'm wearing a disguise so no one in the street will recognise me, just in case," calmly replied Harry.

A look of recognition of what Harry said crossed Dan's face. He hesitated a moment and then backed up the hallway about ten feet before saying... ordering, really, "Come in and close the door."

Keeping his hands in plain sight, Harry calmly stepped through the door and closed it behind him. Reaching up with his right hand he then caused the glamour to fall away. And stood there in his normal self smiling.

Dan just grunted and brought the weapon he was holding behind his back, as Harry suspected, around to his front. It was a service automatic. Dan popped out the magazine, dropped it into his pocket and recocked the weapon causing the round that was loaded in the chamber to pop out the port. He caught it deftly with his off-hand when he let the slide run forward. At all times the weapon was pointing down and away. Very professionally done.

"I see you've retained your weapon instincts, Sir," said Harry.

"Yeah, it surprised me, too," replied Dan before calling out, "It's safe, Emma!"

Emma came walking in from the kitchen and said, "Hello,... My Lord"

"Good evening, Ma'am," replied Harry. "As I explained to the Longbottoms and the Boneses I think we need a password to let each other know we're the real people when we talk to each other, or those Her Majesty or the colonel send. I told them if someone uses the word 'astonishing' in a sentence then that should do, for now, to identify them."

"Come in to the lounge, My Lord," said Dan, leading the way.

Harry followed him in with Emma right behind.

"Take a seat," instructed Dan indicating an armchair. He and Emma sat on a two-seater couch facing him.

"That password idea is a good idea, My Lord," said Dan. "And it's not like very many people actually use it in a sentence, so it's a good choice. We may want to come up with a better idea later, though."

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "Please also understand that I don't like to stand on formalities so calling me 'My Lord' is uncomfortable. However, calling me Harry, which is what I'd prefer, also isn't safe just yet."

Dan and Emma both nodded.

"So, please call me 'Lad' until after the 1st September, at least," said Harry. "It's what Myrrdin called me most of the time."

Both parents relaxed a bit on hearing that. "Thank you,... lad," replied Dan.

Harry smiled and said, "You're the parents of one of my peers. You, at least, have the right _not_ to follow any sort of courtly protocol. Besides, I'm not comfortable with the title yet, either."

Both parents relaxed even further with smiles of obvious relief.

"Thank you," said Emma. "I don't know how I'm ever going to cope with having a daughter who is a... Countess."

"She's your daughter. That'll _never_ change," said Harry. "But, you're going to have to hold off telling _anybody_ until Her Majesty says it can be made public. The four Earldoms are listed in the old Peerage lists, but most such public lists don't even include them as the titles are so old. She's going to have the _devil_ of a time correcting that."

"Just how old are the titles?" asked Emma.

"Nine hundred and ninety-one years, seven months and five days as of today," he replied. "They were created at the turn of the millennium by the combined wishes of the Kings of England and Scotland, King Ethelred the Second and King Kenneth the Third, in recognition of the four founders' work in creating the first school for magic users in the known world. They also provided them with the lands, and much of the surrounding countryside, on which Hogwarts sits.

"The only fiat placed upon them was that the magic users of the day who were taught there could be called upon by either Monarch in defence of either realm. If England and Scotland waged war upon each other, it was agreed the magic users could not take part. That ability to form military units on behalf of the realm remains, as no one has thought to have it removed."

"Oh, my God," said Dan. "If their Earldoms are that old, that makes them four of the highest ranking in the Life Peerage."

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "That is the problem that currently faces Her Majesty.

"I'll be talking to Her Majesty, however," he continued, "and begging her to hold off as long as she can on the Writs of Summons; the requirement to attend the House of Lords by the Lord Chancellor. I think we've all enough on our collective plates, as it is, than have to deal with that particular 'hot potato'."

After Harry finished explaining Emma looked up and said, "Oh, where have my manners gone? Would anyone like some tea?"

Harry smiled and replied, "Yes, please."

Emma rose and went into the kitchen.

"And I'll see if I can drag Hermione down from her books," said Dan, rising and walking into the entry hall to the foot of the stairs.

"Pumpkin!" he called up. "Our guest is here!"

Harry heard a bit of a girlish squeal, followed by the sound of running footsteps on carpet. Hermione then came running down the stairs and burst into the lounge.

"Harry!" she blurted before she suddenly skidded to a stop, flushed with embarrassment and said, "Oh... errr... Good evening, My Lord," with a quick little curtsey.

Harry just grinned back, stood and, with a courtly sweeping bow, said with deep formality, "My Lady Granger."

He came out of the bow, grinned, walked over and gave her a hug, saying, "Hiya, 'Mione!" and laughed while she stood there with her mouth gaping open.

When he let her go and stood back she stared at him for a moment, before she gave him a little slap to the chest and said, "Oh, You!"

"That's better," said Harry with approval. "Hermione, we're friends, remember? As I told you in the Green Waiting Room at the palace before Her Majesty pulled that stunt of hers, us four are going to be close friends. And, quite frankly, I'll be _damned_ if we stand on protocol with each other, other than that required on formal occasions. Okay?"

She looked at him for a moment with a grin of her own and said, "Okay."

Emma came walking in and saw the two pre-teens standing facing each other and stopped. "What did I miss?" she asked.

Dan answered with as straight a face as he could muster, "A formal accord."

"That's nice," said Emma, coming forward again to set a tea service on the coffee table. "Help yourself," she said.

After Emma sat, Harry waited for Hermione to sit in the final available armchair before resuming his own seat.

Then he leaned forward and began to make a cup of tea for Hermione first, before making one for himself.

Once everyone was settled back with a cup, Dan asked, "Now, about these cubes..."

"Yes, Sir?" asked Harry.

"How do they work, and what is on them?" asked Dan.

"The first one is different to all the rest. But, that's only because it has to help Hermione get her mind ready for the others," Harry said. "The first one teaches Hermione how to order her memories and thoughts giving her an eidetic memory... perfect recall... teaches meditation, and Occlumency, the ability to shield the mind from those skilled in Legilimency, reading your mind.

"Myrrdin and I argued over teaching Legilimency since it's hand-in-glove with Occlumency, but I convinced him otherwise. I don't agree with anyone having Legilimency skills as, if anyone then finds out, they'll never be trusted again.

"That one... cube... will take a normal night's sleep to run, but will then take Hermione over two days to sort her memories and thoughts out. It'll probably be way quicker for Hermione to figure out how to do it, but longer for her to sort, because she's an avid... devourer... of information. As such she'll have more to sort than either Neville or Susan but start earlier.

"The meditation part is there because it's faster for the mind to do what it needs to do when you're meditating."

Harry paused for a moment to take a sip of his tea.

"The second cube is mundane law. Effectively, it's going to give Hermione the complete works of United Kingdom laws and a smattering of International law. This one will simply be a large library. Hermione, once she has her mind ordered, will simply accept the contents and file it away in whatever visual mental representation she has set aside for it.

"For myself, I created within my mind a Disney cartoon-style small town. And in that town I put two law courts side-by-side with an atrium between the two. In one I've set up a library that has the contents of the second cube with an automatic index allowing me to call to my... foremind... whatever law I need to review.

"The third cube is magical law, with the largest majority component being British wizarding law. That I put in the second law court building with the same style of automatic indexing.

"In the atrium I put a combined indexing system that allows me to cross-reference the two sets of laws.

"The tail end of the third cube contains information and teaching on logic and philosophy. In my mind township I built a small university and I put logic and philosophy into one of the buildings there.

"The fourth cube is traditions and courtly behaviour of both realms, ethics and morality. The first two have gone into a Manor House with two wings. One side of mundane traditions and courtly behaviour; the other is wizarding. Ethics and morality I put in with philosophy on a different floor within my university.

"The fifth cube is mathematics and physics. They also went into my university in their own building of two wings. And, well, you get the idea of how I set things out within my own mind.

"The sixth cube is magical medicine, potions and herbology. The seventh is mundane medicine. The eighth is technology and technomancy, and limits of the magical core and how to understand it. The ninth is arithmancy, runes and ley line magics. The tenth is cantrips, charms, curses, hexes, conjuration and transfiguration. The eleventh is wandless, druidic and other forms of magic. The twelfth is mundane weaponry and security systems, both magical and mundane. The thirteenth is business principles, leadership, tactics and strategy. And the last one is politics, diplomacy, languages and speaking with other races.

"The first, sixth and tenth cubes - with a smattering of the last cube - is about all Wizarding Britain bother to learn. And Hermione and the others are going to be masters at those.

"What the cubes won't teach, because they can't, is muscle memory. And, as you know Dan, muscle memory is developed through repetition. Practice, practice, practice."

Harry calmly sat back and took another sip of his tea and waited to see how they'd react.

"Wow!" exclaimed Hermione.

"How on _Earth_ can you fit all _that_ in to a human mind?" asked Emma.

"I have all that, plus much more, within mine now. And there's plenty of room to spare. And I'm not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, either. These cubes are formed from my own memories of my learning under Myrrdin. To Hermione, as it does to the others, it will seem as if she is being taught by Merlin, himself."

Dan sat stunned. He looked at Hermione and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this, pumpkin?"

"Definitely, Dad," said Hermione emphatically.

He sighed and said, "Well, Pumpkin; you'd best go get ready for bed."

Hermione set her teacup down, just about spilling what was left in it, and bolted up the stairs.

Dan looked at Harry and said, "The only reason I'm letting this happen is because I know my daughter. If I don't let this happen here, she'll just bug you until you let her do it once you reach Hogwarts."

"She could _bug_ me all she liked; she would not succeed. There's no possible way I'd let her talk me into doing it without your consent. My personal ethics would not allow me to do it," replied Harry, looking straight back. "And I'm still under magical oath."

"I'm ready!" they heard, floating down the stairs.

Dan nodded and rising said, "Well, come on, then."

Leading the way up the stairs the Grangers walked to one of the doors opening to a room at the rear of the house. Emma went in first and called Dan and Harry in.

Hermione was in bed almost vibrating with excitement with the bedding pulled up to her chin and her hands gripping the top edge of the blanket and top sheet together.

Harry said, "You'll need to say good night now because, as soon as I activate the cube, she'll be deeply asleep."

Both parents went over and kissed their daughter good night. Then Harry walked over and sat on the edge of the bed as he did with Neville and Susan and removed the cube from the case next to the letter 'H'.

Placing the cube high in the middle of her forehead he said, "I'll come by after lunch tomorrow to see how you're doing."

"Okay," replied Hermione.

Harry then reached out and tapped the top of the cube saying, "Goodnight!"

As with the others, Hermione was near-instantly into a deep sleep and Harry dropped the case back into his satchel.

"Done," said Harry, standing back up and walking towards where Dan and Emma were standing at the door. "In about eight hours she'll either wake up or transition into a normal REM state of sleep. They she'll awaken normally as she does every morning."

"How will we know when it's finished?" asked Emma.

"If she doesn't move a muscle then it's likely she's still under its effects. If you look at her eyelids and you can see the eyeballs under them are moving in REM state movements it's finished and she's asleep just like normal. If she's moved, such as rolled to her side, she's in normal sleep. If she's awake but staring off into space or meditating, then she's awake."

Dan said, "Okay, got it." As Emma nodded.

He then headed back downstairs and Harry followed. Emma stayed to take one last look before she turned off the light and followed Harry down.

Once downstairs and in the foyer Harry said, "I'd best be going. I have another busy day tomorrow. As I said, I'll come by tomorrow but I have to visit Gringotts, the Longbottoms and the Boneses first."

"I look forward to it," said Emma. "Be safe."

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry. "Good night."

Then switched into his phoenix form and phoenix-flashed back to his suite in the palace.

# # #

The next morning Harry was up at 6.00am and dived straight in for a shower. He had already jumped in, though, before he realised he hadn't grabbed his bathing gear. But a look around identified his soaps and shampoo on the shelves under the shower head. A large, fluffy towel hung on a drying rail just outside the shower screen door.

Things were set up similar to how he had things back at Myrrdin's Keep, so he wasn't going to have a problem adjusting to this.

After his shower, his first ever to the best of his recollection, he dressed in light tan coloured slacks and shirt, open collar, a blue v-neck pullover, and brown loafers.

He called for a butler - he didn't expect Michael to have arrived for work yet - but Michael entered. "Good morning, My Lord," he said, before asking, "How may I be of service?"

"Good morning," replied Harry cheerfully. "Ummm... What's on the menu for breakfast?"

"There is no menu, My Lord," replied Michael. "You just inform me of your desires and I see towards meeting them."

"Okay... Ummm," Harry thought. "How about... a small bowl of cereal, for the bran, a couple of those little breakfast fish the English like..."

"Kippers, My Lord?" prompted Michael.

"Yep. Those!" replied Harry with a snap of his fingers. "For brain food. A couple of slices of toast, a glass of orange juice, and tea, please."

"Certainly, My Lord," said Michael, with a bow before departing.

Harry walked over to television and turned it on to watch the morning news. And waited for breakfast.

When Harry had returned, last night, he found his note gone and replaced with a small pad and biro. So, at least someone got the message. And the bed was turned down with his pyjamas laid out on it. It was only a few minutes later Harry was in bed and fast asleep.

After breakfast Harry headed for Gringotts Bank. He phoenix-flashed to the park, glamoured up and apparated to the apparation point in Diagon Alley in a matter of seconds. He figured, this was clearly going to be his normal way of leaving the palace and returning. So, when he had a little time available to do it, he was going to set a See-Me-Not Charm locked with a rune to the spot. Better that than have a mundane, who had decided to picnic in amongst the trees, see him and freak out.

Walking down through Diagon he noticed no children except those his age and younger. Of course, the older kids still had nearly a month to go in their studies and Hogwarts would hold the end of year feast before sending them home. But a few kids who looked his biological age were being taken shopping.

He could see new school robes, cauldrons, telescopes and books being carried by kids and parents from one end of the alley to the other. Harry realised Hagrid would be dragging him through this same alley to collect the same items in just under two months.

Halfway down the Alley rose Gringotts. Harry simply walked in and up to an available teller. Flashing his Potter Head of House ring only to the goblin that was about to snarl something inane at him, Harry quietly said in the goblin tongue, *Greetings, goblin. I'm here to see the Keeper of the Potter Accounts. Do not address me by name while we are in public.*

*Of course, My Lord*, the goblin replied. *Director Ragnock advised us you would likely be coming in, and that the matters you would raise with us would be delicate. We are to provide you with every courtesy and do business in private.*

The goblin then reached down and pressed something just out of sight. Another goblin arrived on Harry's side of the teller partition.

"Yes?" the goblin asked, looking up at the teller.

"Griphook, this is the one of which Director Ragnock advised. Provide him every courtesy and take him to one of the private business rooms for our largest account holders," the teller goblin instructed.

Looking up at Harry with interest, Griphook said, "Follow me, My Lord."

Griphook led Harry through a security checkpoint and then towards the rear of the bank. He was led into one of the rooms near the far end and invited to sit.

Harry dropped his glamour and looked around the room. They were in a large business meeting room with an oval shaped table surrounded by comfortable chairs. He chose one near the door but on the other side of the table, and sat.

A few moments later a much older goblin walked in carrying a number of thick ledgers. He walked over and dropped the ledgers onto the desk and took a chair right alongside where the ledgers were now sitting.

He did something with the chair that Harry couldn't recognise and, a few seconds later, rose to a point where he was pretty close to looking Harry in the eye.

Reaching over, the goblin picked up the first ledger and brought it to be in front of himself. He opened it and began to peruse.

"Lord Potter," the goblin said looking across at Harry, "I am the Potter Accounts Keeper, Blockrig. It is my responsibility to manage your accounts on your behalf here at the bank."

Harry just nodded in return.

"I hold for you the accounts of both your trust vault containing your trust fund, and a second vault containing the Potter fortune. The trust fund had ten thousand galleons placed within it on the death of your parents. Each of your birthdays, thereafter, it had a further ten thousand galleons placed within it. In total one hundred thousand galleons have been placed within your trust fund. On your eleventh birthday the funds going into it from the Potter fortune were to increase to fifteen thousand galleons.

"Also placed within the trust vault were a number of books, grimoires, family records, art works, jewellery and the like. There were also placed within it a number of magical items."

Looking down at the ledger the goblin then related, "Since the time of the creation of the trust fund some eighty thousand galleons have been removed, leaving some twenty thousand galleons within the vault. Further, all books, grimoires, family records and jewellery have been removed from the vault leaving only some art works that are specifically marked as belonging to the Potter estate. These are mainly paintings of family members."

Once he'd finished relating that bit of bad news the goblin went on, "We at Gringotts have long suspected this was not authorised by you or as part of the wishes of your parents, James and Lily Potter. We have sent you much correspondence concerning this. However, our correspondence has remained unanswered."

Harry was about to respond when the old goblin went on. "Director Ragnock informs us our correspondence to you has been... intercepted... before it has reached you. This, too, we have suspected. As such we have maintained a very close watch on what has been taken, by whom and when; and where it has been going. For some of the gold, just over fifty thousand galleons, we only know it has been taken as galleons out of the bank, not simply transferred to another account.

"We placed tracking charms on the other items that were within the vault at the time we suspected inconsistencies. We know where those items are currently located. All of the grimoires and magical items, and some of the art and jewellery, we are unable to locate as they were removed before the tracking charms were placed upon them.

"We were unable to stop the removal of your property and gold as the Ministry ordered that Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was your magical guardian and, as such, had guardian status on your trust account. This gave him authority to remove funds and items from the trust vault in your name.

"Mister Dumbledore has also sought to gain access to the vault containing the Potter fortune, other grimoires, records, art, keys and access to the Potter Manor and investment portfolios. However, even with Ministry approval, we have not granted him such. We goblins know your true magical guardian is Sirius Orion Black, presumptive Heir of House Black, who is currently in Azkaban. As he has not yet received a trial, irrespective of where he currently resides, he did not lose status as your magical guardian.

"I was informed directly by Director Ragnock, after he had spoken with you in the palace of your Queen, that I was not to remove Mister Dumbledore's access to your trust vault until such time as I had spoken with you. And I have been further informed that you have not allowed the magics of the ring and rite of inheritance to announce you as taking up your Heads of Houses rings.

"As such you are still viewed as a non-emancipated minor and Sirius Black is still your magical guardian, though the Ministry have forced the issue with Albus Dumbledore," said the goblin before frowning and saying, "I would know why."

Harry thought about that for a little while. He wanted to make sure he could get this old goblin, obviously trusted by his parents, to understand what was going on. He knew the goblin felt his honour had been greatly harmed by what Dumbledick was doing.

"There are things happening of great import, Blockrig," said Harry. "Albus Dumbledore is guilty of far, _far_ more than just theft from my account against me. He is also well-connected and respected throughout the wizarding world. If we move too quickly against him he will use his status as the so-called leader of the light, his status as the Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot, his status as a long term headmaster at Hogwarts, and his status as Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, to have the charges against him dismissed at worse, or rendered extremely lenient at best.

"Vengeance is a dish best served cold. I intend to utterly destroy his reputation. I intend to have taken from him everything he values. And when I am finished he will have left not a knut, not a possession, not a stitch of clothing he can call his own. And the disgraced name of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore will be met with derision and contempt. No, I do not intend for Dumbledore to feel the cold kiss of the edge of my blade. That sweet release will not be allowed him.

"There are worse things than dying, Blockrig. And you have done me and my family great service by keeping accurate records of what has been taken from my trust vault; and recording where much of what has been taken is currently located. I know you feel your honour has been harmed in this. But your honour will be redeemed and you will be richly rewarded in compensation.

"Evidence is already being gathered against Dumbledore regarding his crimes. It will all come to light soon enough. For now, I want him kept in the dark. I want him believing his crimes are undiscovered. I want to keep a close eye on him. And, when we are ready, we will destroy him. Are you with me on this, Account Keeper Blockrig?"

"My Lord, you do me great honour," the goblin said with a bow. "I will do as you ask. I am but your servant."

Harry then leaned forward and said, "I will need a copy of everything taken from my trust vault and what it currently contains today. I will also need you to send a copy of that under seal to Madam Amelia Bones at the DMLE, her eyes only, with your complements. Send with it a note that says, 'Someone astonishing thought you should have this'.

"And, when the time comes, know that you have played an active part in his descent from grace, into the gutter of poverty."

"I will have it done immediately, My Lord," the old goblin eagerly replied.

"Now," said Harry, changing the subject, "I will also need a personal copy of records of what is in the main vault, about two thousand galleons in a purse of magical holding, and records of the property the family owns. And I want the key and details on the Potter Manor."

"I shall get it done, My Lord," said Blockrig.

He pushed a rune button on the top of a slate he had beside him and, shortly thereafter, another goblin walked in with a stack of ledgers.

"Good morning, My Lord," he said dumping his ledgers on the table, taking a chair alongside Blockrig, and similarly adjusting it. "My name is Cavepick. I have with me the accounts of the House of Slytherin, and for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. May I ask why you have not allowed your ring to emancipate you and notify the relevant authorities you have taken the Head of House position?"

"My reasons are my own, for now, Cavepick," Harry replied. "Blockrig knows why, as does the Director. I do not need for others to know just yet."

"I see," said the new goblin. "Very well. Though the ring has not announced you as Head of House, we goblins know exactly who you are. Therefore, you have access to the accounts of House Slytherin.

"First, you should know that House Slytherin does not have a vault. Gringotts did not exist when we last saw House Slytherin active," he said.

Harry nodded, understanding.

"However, there have been funds going in to the accounts automatically from the Hogwarts account. Originally, this was about ten percent of the income derived from the operation of the school, divided equally across the four Houses. Over the years this was whittled down to less than one half of one percent; so, your House received one eighth of one percent However, we also add twenty five percent of the net rent on the lands under Hogsmeade.

"With interest accruing, each account now holds approximately 9.5 million galleons," said Cavepick.

Harry just snorted. 'At least the four of us have some decent seed money to revamp the school, now,' he thought. 'I had planned on using part of the Potter fortune to fund it.'

"And the Hogwarts account? Is there anything there that shows signs of gold being syphoned off from within the school?" asked Harry.

"No, My Lord," answered Cavepick. "However, I shall dig further and cross check against receipts. Do you have suspicions there is account tampering occurring?"

"Yes, I do," replied Harry. "But, for now, I just want the books of the school quietly checked. I don't want suspicions raised until us four Heirs are ready to move."

"Very good, My Lord," the goblin responded.

"Now, about the accounts of House Black," said Blockrig.

"No," Harry firmly replied. "I know I'm the Heir but it's Sirius's money. If he wants me to know he'll tell me soon. In the mean time, leave things as they are."

"Yes, My Lord."

"If that's it," said Harry standing, "I'll want the key to the Potter Manor and see what else is in the main vault. And make sure Dumbledore is not aware I've been anywhere near the bank."

"Of course, My Lord," said Blockrig also standing. "If you'll come this way, Cavepick can return the ledgers of House Potter to my desk."

Harry nodded, bowed to Cavepick, and followed after Blockrig.

Down at the vault, after a very... thrilling... ride, Harry went inside and took a look around. He quickly found the papers concerning Potter Manor, together with the keys, and placed them inside his ever-present satchel. Looking at his watch he saw he still had plenty of time to explore before he had to visit the Longbottom Manor.

He hadn't noticed it when he first walked in, but he saw what he now recognised to be the Potter crest up on the wall of the vault. He felt pride in himself and his heritage while he stared at it.

"Myrrdin's helped me see what's really going on, Mum and Dad," he softly said to the crest. "And I'm going to make those who have wronged us, _pay_!"

Just before stepping back into the public area of the bank, and with his bag of galleons, Harry gave Blockrig a goblin parting and quickly redonned his glamour. He strode out into the street as if he had not a care in the world. He went to the apparation point and apparated away.

# # #

Harry disapparated just inside the Great Wood some five miles northwest of Hastings on the south coast. The Potter Manor was located about here, somewhere.

He cast a few Charms, as the instructions within the vault told him, upon his key. And gently he began to see a very large house appear off to his right.

He trudged over and through the gate. Outside it had the appearance of being run down and in serious disrepair. He cast detection charms for as far as he could see either side, and didn't find a sort of monitoring charm or other type of alarm.

He stepped through the gates to walk up to the Manor but, once through the gates, the place looked quite pristine.

He cast even more detection charms about the place and only detected the usual wards. Some of them were still in excellent working condition after all this time. Carefully walking up to the door he cast further detection charms and found nothing.

Taking a deep breath he then inserted the key in the lock. The door swung open.

Just about to cast further charms he was startled by the appearance of a house elf who glared at him with its arms crossed.

"What you want?" it demanded.

"Errr... I'm visiting to see if anyone is here?" replied Harry tentatively.

"No one here. Go!" it ordered.

'A house elf guard?' thought Harry.

Moving carefully he brought his right hand forward with the Potter Head of House ring prominent. The little elf, seeing the ring, stepped forward and grabbed Harry by the hand to look closely at the ring.

The elf suddenly dragged Harry forward by the hand, gestured the door shut and was suddenly dancing from foot to foot in excitement. "I be Pixie! Who be you, Master?"

"I'm... Harry Potter," replied Harry carefully, and dropped his glamour. "This house belonged to my parents, James and Lily Potter."

"You were the baby in Missy Lily?" asked the elf.

"Yeah, I was," replied Harry. "Pixie, right?"

"I be Pixie! You be Master Harry!" said Pixie excitedly. "Missy Lily said you'd come. She said you'd come a long time ago. Where you been? Pixie couldn't find you! Pixie couldn't find Master James or Missy Lily, either."

"I've been in hiding, Pixie," replied Harry. "I had to be in hiding because of a very bad man."

"Pixie happy you here now!" said the elf. "Where's Master James and Missy Lily?"

'Oh, crap,' thought Harry.

"They're both dead, Pixie. They died almost ten years ago," explained Harry.

The little elf suddenly stopped dancing about and stood flat-footed. "Oh," she said hanging her head. "Pixie knew. But Pixie think maybe Pixie wrong. So, Pixie wait until someone come tell her."

"It's okay, little one," said Harry kindly. "But, I'm here now. How about you show me around?"

"O-Kay! Pixie happy to help!" said the little elf back to being excited.

What followed was Harry being half dragged, half cajoled, from one side of the manor to the other on both floors. Then he was taken down to the basement and shown the set up of a potions lab on one side and an experiments lab on the other. There was quite a lot of dust down here and equipment that was, in some cases, rusted.

The little elf explained Harry's mother had forbid her to clean in there when she wasn't there to supervise, as Pixie had accidentally caused a minor explosion at one time. Harry told the elf she could clean it after he left so he wasn't there to suffer the consequences of all the dust.

However, there was one room Pixie had not yet taken him to see. It was on the ground floor, not far from the study. She took him to that room last. It was sealed by a heavy oaken door with the Potter crest upon it, and a metal plate with the outline of a right handprint where a lock would be.

Pixie indicated it and said, "Master Harry must place his hand upon the blood lock, sir."

Harry glanced down at Pixie. She was looking back with a sad look on her face. Turning to the door he reached out and placed his hand upon the plate. He felt a slight tingle, and heard a click. The door swung open away from him.

It was the portrait room. Pixie did not enter herself. She stood outside the door and simply waited with sad eyes.

Harry had no idea such a room existed. He didn't know that, because portraits could move and talk to both each other and the people in the room, wizards often had a portrait room so the portraits could converse. But, also wouldn't constantly be watching what was happening in other rooms.

'Hello," said one of the paintings on the wall to Harry's left. "Who have we here?"

Harry turned to the speaker and saw a painting of a stern man with a rather stoic visage. He looked back with quite the curious expression. The painting turned to look behind Harry and called, "James! Lily! Come out of there!"

Turning about Harry saw a painting on the opposite wall of a room with a door at the rear. The door opened and two young adults not far past their teens came into view of the painting from the door.

"Quit your griping, granddad. We..." the male of the pair, a man bearing a striking resemblance to Harry, even to the glasses Harry used to wear, stopped and gawked back at Harry.

The red haired, fair skinned lady entering the 'room' of the painting behind the young man was... vexatious. "What on Earth are you babbling about now, Charlus. I..." she stopped in shock as soon as she saw Harry.

"Harry?" she plaintively asked.

When he had first spun around, Harry had been frozen in shock himself. He saw his father enter the room in the painting, followed by his mother.

"Mum?" he croaked. "Dad?"

"HARRY!?" his Mum cried.

His Dad, or at least the portrait of him, was shaken out of his shock by his wife's outburst. "Harry? Is that you, son?"

Harry was in turmoil. He knew about the magic of the portraits. He just didn't know his parents had commissioned one before they died.

"Mum? Dad?" he replied in shock himself. "Yeah. It's me, Harry."

"Good, God!" his father replied. "We always knew how old you'd be by now... but... this..."

"I...," his mother started, "I... oh, Harry!"

"Yeah, Mum," said Harry, coming out of his shock. "It's me. How are you both?"

"Prongslet!" cried his father with happiness. "We expected you _ages_ ago. Why hasn't Sirius brought you around before now? Bring him here. I want words with that mangy dog!"

Harry sighed and said, "Things did not go as you planned with my life if... when... you passed away."

"What do you mean?" asked Lily with a scowl.

Harry sighed again and conjured an armchair behind himself. "That's a very long story..." he began, sitting down.

# # #

After talking to them for almost an hour, his father suddenly exclaimed, "Lord Slytherin? My _son_ is the _Earl_ of _Slytherin_?!"

"Hey! It wasn't _my_ fault!" exclaimed Harry right back. "Mum did it!"

Harry could hear one of his fraternal grandmothers cackling with glee! He expected it was Dorea nee Black.

The portrait of his father looked right back in shock. James said, "I don't know whether to be... outraged... jubilant... or somewhere in between! I also happen to think it just may be the greatest prank ever!"

Then James began roaring with laughter. Lily, however, looked... affronted. "James!" she admonished the man. "Really!"

James was, by then, rolling on the floor with laughter. He even had tears in his eyes.

"Hey!" said James looking up at his wife while still laughing. "You did it! Not me!" That set him off again. His father was almost howling.

Even Harry had begun chuckling a little at the response of his mother and father. He turned to where the sound of Dorea laughing had come from and could see the old lady still giggling like a school girl while dabbing her eyes with a lace handkerchief. Many of the other portraits were either grinning with happiness or looking a little affronted themselves. "Congratulations, Harry!" she said.

"Thanks. I think," he replied.

The sound of his mother calling his name drew Harry's attention back to the portrait of his parents. "Harry," she said, "Can you please continue your story?"

So, Harry continued with bringing the portrait of his parents up to date with what had been going on in his life. And where he was heading."

# # #

After the tour, and the couple of hours he spent within the portrait room promising to return when he could, Harry asked the elf if anyone had been there after Lily and James had left. The elf said a couple of bad looking men had been around outside the wards but didn't come in. But there was a man Pixie knew was Remus who came around every now and then to see if Harry had arrived yet. Pixie said he always left disappointed.

Harry said, "Well, if he comes again, I don't want you to tell him I've been here. Okay?"

The little elf nodded it's head vigorously and said, "Yes, Sir, Master Harry."

"I'll let you know when you can tell anyone that someone's been here, but that's not likely for quite some time," said Harry.

The little elf again nodded it's head vigorously and said, "Yes, Sir, Master Harry."

"Okay, then," said Harry. "I only came to see how much damage there was to the house because I didn't know there was such a good house elf still here. Now that I know there is, I can leave again and be happy to know you're here looking after the place."

The little elf just about threw herself around Harry's left leg and bawled, "Oh, you are such a good master, Master Harry Sir. Pixie very happy to have you as her master. Pixie will clean even better for you, Master Harry Sir."

Harry was just about to leave when a thought occurred to him. "Pixie, how are you managing to survive here? How are you getting anything to eat?

"Oh! Oh!" she said. "Pixie not show you. Come! Come!"

And Harry found himself half dragged out to the back of the little property.

"See?" she asked. "Missy Lily show Pixie how to be 'self suffy shent'."

Harry looked towards the back of the property and saw four perfectly arranged square plots side-by-side. In the first was a chook pen with a couple of chooks in it. The next lay fallow. And the last two had perfect little rows of vegetables growing in them. A little self-sufficient garden for the household to have their own vegetables, eggs and the occasional chicken.

Harry was amazed. 'Way to go, Mum!' he thought.

"Pixie grow her own food for Pixie and hens. What Pixie not eat, Pixie take down to school at night and leave at food place there. Pixie sometimes give food to Master Remus. Pixie not waste food."

Harry didn't know whether to laugh out loud or just cry. From everything he'd heard of his Mum. This was a clear indication before his eyes of the type of witch she was.

He just looked down at the little elf and said, "Pixie you have done Miss Lily, you have done me, proud. Very well done."

Again the little elf threw herself at Harry's leg. "Oh, Pixie so happy Master be so happy with Pixie!"

"Okay, Pixie," said Harry placatingly. "I have to leave now. I have things to do."

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir!" she said letting go.

"I'll be back when I can," he said.

Harry walked around the manor and out the front gate. Once outside he turned to look back at the spot where the manor stood fixing it in his mind. He rebuilt his glamour and apparated away.

# # #

Arriving at the Longbottom Manor he knocked on the door.

The little house elf opened, took one look at him and indicated he come in. Harry dropped his glamour.

"Oh!" the little elf said. "I tell Mistress you here." And popped away

A few moments passed and Augusta came into the room with wand drawn.

"It's quite astonishing how you always enter a room like that, Ma'am," said Harry.

Augusta, paused for just a bit and suddenly resleeved her wand. "Hello, My Lord," she said.

"Hello, Ma'am," he replied. "How's Neville getting on?"

"You'd best come see," she replied.

Augusta led Harry back up the stairs to Neville's room. When Harry walked in he saw Neville sitting crossed-legged on his bed in a full meditation pose, wrists on his knees.

Augusta looked with concern between Neville and Harry. So Harry called out, "Hey, Nev!"

Startled, Neville, still looking straight ahead, said, "Huh?" Blinked a few times, and then looked over at Harry. "Oh, Hi Harry!"

"Hiya Nev," replied Harry. "Have you been sitting like that all day?"

"Yeah, I guess," replied Neville.

"Nev. Mate," said Harry reprovingly, "You need to bathe, eat and get some exercise during the day, too! Sit like that for too long and people will think yer dead!"

Neville grinned, blushed and said, "Yeah, I do feel kind of hungry."

"Then eat something, lad!" ordered Harry, mimicking the sentiments of his own mentor during his own time meditating and building his mind. "And get some fresh air!"

"Yeah, okay," said Neville a bit shyly.

"Nev, you've got this," said Harry more seriously. "Relax. There's plenty of time. Oh, and far more will happen tonight while you're sleeping towards getting your mind resorted."

"Oh?" asked Neville brightening up.

"Yes, it's easier when you're asleep," replied Harry. "And, oh yeah! What did you think of... Merlin?"

"He's amazing!" gushed Neville with enthusiasm. "He's such a great teacher. Is he like that all the time?"

"Yeah, he is," replied Harry. "Now, eat, think about how you want to set up your mind palace, and play a little bit. You've still got almost two and a half days before I come back on Monday night with the next cube. You've got plenty of time."

"Thanks, Harry!" said Neville gleefully.

Turning to Augusta, Harry said, "Okay, I've now got to check on Susan."

Augusta nodded and led Harry back downstairs to the parlour.

"That's all it takes to get him to pay attention to me? Just raise my voice and call his name?" asked Augusta.

"Anything that grabs his attention, really," replied Harry. "He's just very focussed on what he's doing."

"Thank you," said Augusta gratefully. "I was worried."

"I know," said Harry. "That's why I offered to come over."

Augusta nodded and took a pinch of floo powder. Tossing it into the fireplace she called, "Ossuary!"

# # #

Stepping through Harry saw Amelia where he expected her to be, and said, "I still find it astonishing to use floo travel."

Amelia nodded once and resleeved her wand.

"Thank you for coming, My Lord," she said.

"I promised to come and check up on Susan, so..." he replied with a shrug.

"Well, she's sitting on her bed with her legs crossed and staring at the wall," replied Amelia with a frown.

"And you haven't snapped her out of it yet" said Harry, knowing the response.

"No," she said. "And I'm worried."

"No problem," said Harry. "Is she at least dressed?"

"Well, yes," she replied. "I did at least get her to get dressed this morning."

"Then you'd best lead the way and I'll show you how easy this is," he said.

Harry followed Amelia to Susan's bedroom and saw the young girl sitting on the bed in the same fashion as Neville earlier.

'Funny', he thought. 'That's the same meditation pose I used. And Neville. The cubes must have carried more across than just my memories of the lessons, but also my memories of how I posed.'

"Hey, Susan!" called Harry from the doorway.

"Huh?" Susan startled, blinking a bit. Then she looked at Harry standing in the doorway.

"Have you been at that all morning?" asked Harry.

"I don't know. What time is it?" she asked.

"If you need to ask then you've gone at it too long. How hungry are you?" he asked back.

"A bit, actually," she replied with a frown.

"Well, don't you think you should take a break?" he asked. "You've got plenty of time, Suze. You don't have to get everything done on the first day."

"Okay," she said, thinking about it. "Something to eat sounds good."

"And spend a little time getting some physical exercise, too" ordered Harry. "Going outside and playing for a little while will help you to stay alert."

"Okay," she said climbing off the bed.

Amelia led the way back downstairs. On the way down Harry asked Susan, "And what did you think of Merlin?"

"Oh, he's really nice!" the girl replied. "I hope the teachers at Hogwarts are like him."

As Susan headed for the dining room, Harry turned to Amelia and said, "That's all there is to it, Madam Bones. If she meditates for too long just raise your voice a little and call her by name. She'll respond."

"Is this how she's going to be for all those cubes of yours?" asked Amelia.

"No," he replied shaking his head. "Just this first one. However, she may stare off into the distance for a few seconds every now and then when she's going over what the rest of the cubes give her. And even that will pass in time."

"Good," said Amelia with feeling. "I don't want to seem rude concerning this... gift... of yours, but it's rather disconcerting."

"I know," replied Harry. "That's why I offered to come. It wasn't for her benefit; it was for yours."

Amelia snorted and gave a light chuckle in response.

"Now, I'm off to the Grangers," said Harry changing the subject. "Being mundane folk they're even more nervous about this than you and Madam Longbottom."

"Okay, then," said Amelia heading for the door. "Thank you for coming."

Harry followed her to the door, redonned his usual glamour, and said. "You're welcome, Ma'am," and stepped outside.

Just outside the door he cast a Notice-Me-Not Charm and phoenix-flashed to just outside the Grangers where he walked up to the door and dropped the Notice-Me-Not Charm as he walked.

Knocking on the door he was, again, greeted by Dan in the same manner.

"Yes?" asked Dan.

"I would find it astonishing if you weren't holding a weapon on me right now, Sir," said Harry blandly.

"Get in here," Dan said stepping out of the way as Harry walked in before the door was closed behind him.

"Hermione's sitting on her bed..." he began.

"...With her legs crossed and her wrists on her knees staring at the wall at the foot of her bed," finished Harry. "And you don't know what to do."

"Well... yes!" said Dan.

"Is she dressed?" asked Harry.

"Yes, come on," said Dan, leading the way up the stairs.

With the door opened Dan stepped to one side and said, "She's been sitting like that all day. It's not natural."

Hermione was sitting in exactly the same pose he, Neville and Susan adopted.

"Let me ask you this," asked Harry. "If she was sitting on her bed focussed on reading a book, what would you do?"

"Well, I'd call her a couple of times and, if she didn't answer, come up to her door and call louder," replied Dan thinking about it.

"Do that," said Harry.

Frowning, Dan turned to look at his daughter and called, "Hermione!"

"Huh?" started Hermione, coming out of her meditation. "Oh, Hi, Dad. Hi, Harry!" she said jumping off her bed and taking a couple of steps before tripping and falling on to the floor.

"Ow! Ow! Tingles!" she said rubbing her legs.

Dan walked over to make sure his little girl was okay.

"'Mione, you've been at it for too long," scolded Harry. "You need to remember to come out of the meditation to eat and move around for a little while. Merlin told you that, didn't he?"

Rising a bit more steadily to her feet with her Dad's assistance, Hermione replied, "Well, yes."

"Then do it. Your Mum and Dad were worried about you," ordered Harry. "And, if they worry about you much more, they're likely to tell me you can't have any more cubes!"

"Nooo," Hermione said just a little worried. "I promise I'll be good. I'll remember to take breaks."

Dan snorted.

Harry nodded and said, "Good."

"That's all, there is to it?" asked Dan.

"That's all," said Harry in response.

After making sure Hermione was going to get herself something to eat and rest a bit, Dan led Harry back downstairs and into the lounge. Hermione followed them downstairs, but headed for the kitchen.

# # #


	9. Hermione's Rant

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Nine - Harry's Bright Idea

In the lounge of the Granger family home, Dan decided he needed to talk to Harry about matters important to his role in protecting his daughter, the Countess Ravenclaw. But he didn't know how to broach the subject.

"So," he began. "Do... you... watch football?"

Harry looked back for moment, then snorted and started to chuckle.

Abashed by Harry's reaction, Dan said, "That... was a silly question, wasn't it?"

Still chuckling a little Harry just nodded and said, "What do you need, Sir?"

Thinking carefully, Dan asked, "Would those cubes work on anyone else? I mean, I know the ones you've got for Hermione and the others are geared for them. It's just..."

"...You want to know if they can be made for others, and whether they'll only work on wizards and witches," Harry finished.

"Yeah," replied Dan.

Harry grinned and said, "Already anticipated, Sir." He reached into his ever-present satchel and drew forth another of the cubes. This one with an inscribed letter 'D' upon it.

Holding it forth and offering it to Dan, he said, "This one's for you."

Sitting back he said, "I didn't expect you to be asking about it just yet, though. Myrrdin and I figured you wouldn't be asking for about another four days. Which is yet another example of 'the knowing of something changes it' principle."

Looking over the innocuous cube of crystal Dan asked, "What's on it?"

"It has a general overview of the structure of the wizarding world, both political and social, and the players involved including photo-images of them. It specifically identifies the known Death Eaters, others known to side with Riddle, and those who we consider on our side, or can be convinced to be on our side. It also has images and information on known Aurors, who may be called upon by Madam Bones to protect you and yours. And it has the same sort of information on the teaching staff at Hogwarts.

"It has an overview of what sort of spells there are, what probable killing curses can be thrown your way by Riddle's supporters, what their tactics are likely to be from previous examples and what you can do to block them or counteract them. It'll also give you some idea of how they may be able to block your bullets being shot their way and what to do in those situations.

"It will also provide you information on magical forms of travel, especially emergency portkeys, which I'm going to prepare for the three of you. This will all be placed into your subconscious and will be readily accessible when you need it.

"And, though it's on the cube, I'm also going to reiterate this point," said Harry, leaning forward. "If you can separate a wizard from their wand, you've effectively rendered them unable to fight. They have no other skills bar wand magics. If you can get their wand in your hands, and they're an unfriendly, _snap_ the damned thing. Now, if I'd said that last bit to a wizard or witch, they'd be absolutely horrified. But, damn it, this is war; screw their sensibilities. Besides, snapping their wand means they'll be unable to come back at you and yours until they find a way to replace it."

Dan looked back with quite the curious expression. "That... was exactly the information I was going to ask for."

Harry smiled and said, "Being able to look through time has its advantages, Sir. But, as I said earlier, I didn't expect you to be asking for that information for another four days."

"Huh!" humphed Dan in response.

"You'll need Emma to activate it for you, though. They're specially made so the person using it cannot do it for themselves. That's just an added security feature.

"When you're ready to receive the information, do as I did for Hermione last night. Lay down, have Emma put it on your forehead with the letter 'D' pointing up. When you're ready, all she needs to do is tap the top of the cube and say, 'Goodnight'. You'll fall asleep straight away. The knowledge will be there in the morning simply by thinking about it. Now, you won't have the perfect recollection the others and I have, but it's not a lot you need to store, either," explained Harry.

As an afterthought, Harry said, "Later, you might want to consider Emma having the same information. You just do the same for her. But I suggest you review what will be supplied to you, and then you and her can make that decision together."

Dan nodded just as Emma came in through the front door.

"Hi, honey," she said seeing Dan. But, on seeing Harry, she said, "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't see you there... My... lad."

"That's okay, Ma'am," replied Harry. "I just dropped by, as promised, to make sure Hermione was okay."

When he saw the woman looking a little worried, he said, "There's no problems, I assure you."

"Well, that's good," said Emma nodding firmly. "I was a bit worried when I saw her this morning sitting on her bed in her pyjamas just staring at the wall. I had a devil of a time getting her to take a shower, and get dressed."

"She may be like that for at least tomorrow, too, Ma'am," said Harry. "It'll just be a bit more difficult to get her attention than usual. It'll stop by Monday, if not before."

"Good. I'm worried she won't take care of herself if there's no one here to watch her," said Emma.

Looking at Dan, she said, "And I've already put the word out to find someone to fill in for you for the next few months. Her Majesty was quite explicit about the role you play."

Dan looked a bit abashed and said, "Yeah, probably a good idea. If I'm to guard Countess Ravenclaw... and I still haven't gotten my head around that yet... then I'll need to either be here or close by. At least until 1st September, at any rate."

"It's Hermione, Sir," said Harry. "She's still your... 'Pumpkin'. I very much doubt that'll ever change. And she'll need you to stay her Dad to help keep her grounded."

Dan nodded with his head bent, while Emma smiled and headed for the kitchen.

"I can tell you this, irrespective of the timeline, you're her Dad, always. And she is a much loved friend and companion of mine," said Harry firmly.

Before Dan could respond Hermione walked in with a small plate of sandwiches and plonked herself on the couch.

Harry looked over and said with a voice of mock hurt, "Where's mine?"

Hermione just looked back and said, "Well, you didn't share yours at the palace; so..." and stuck one in her mouth.

"Hermione!" said her Dad, a little shocked.

"Oh, touché, mademoiselle; touché!" replied Harry, laughing.

Swallowing what she had in her mouth, Hermione said, "Mum's making some for everyone."

Looking back at Harry she said, waggling a finger at him, "And don't think I didn't figure out why you did that at the palace, either."

"Did what?" asked Harry, acting innocent but knowing she knew.

"When you arrived while we were there," replied Hermione. "You behaved like a beast to shock my Mum and Dad."

"And why would I do such a thing? If it was true, of course," asked Harry.

"Because you saw how nervous they were... we all were... and you wanted to do something that made them forget how nervous they were; take their minds off it," replied Hermione with the somewhat smug air of someone who'd figured something out.

Emma came back in carrying a large server with a plate of sandwiches on it and the tea service. "Take who's mind off what?" she asked.

Ignoring the question Harry just grinned at Hermione before turning to the Grangers and saying, "I told you she was the smartest witch I know."

Emma was frowning trying to work out what was going on, while Dan just looked between his daughter and Harry. He started to chuckle, before it evolved into full-on laughter.

"Daniel!" said Emma, scolding her husband. "What's so funny?"

"We've been conned, Em!" he chortled. "Remember yesterday afternoon when we first met the lad, here?" gesturing to Harry.

"Yes, of course," she said, still wondering what was going on.

"His behaviour with the sandwiches?" Dan asked wiping tears from his eyes. "He did it deliberately. So we'd be horrified."

"Close," said Harry. "I did it so your 'guardian of children' senses kicked in. I bet on both of you being worried I might get in trouble so you were thinking, as parents, of ways to save me from myself."

"My word!" said Emma, with wonder. "Here we thought we'd have to help you. And all the time you were helping us."

"All part of the services provided by the House of Slytherin. We hope you enjoyed the experience and will join us again soon," said Harry with an airily voice and wave of his hand.

"Besides," he went on to say, "As a Slytherin it's a trait of my house to use cunning and guile." He leaned forward and began to make himself a cup of tea.

"Trait?" asked Emma, already sitting back from making her own.

Nodding, Harry replied, "Yes. Students at Hogwarts are supposed to be sorted in to the four Houses based on their own dominant traits. However, the sorting hat has a tendency to sort them into a House the student wants to go in, if the student wants it bad enough.

"In the original timeline Hermione went in to Ravenclaw. In Dumbles's mangled timeline she went into Gryffindor, as did I. But I was supposed to go into Hufflepuff."

"What are the traits?" asked Emma again, clearly curious.

It was Hermione who answered. "Let's see," she said. "Supposedly Gryffindor stood for bravery and against discrimination. Ravenclaw stood for intelligence and wit. Hufflepuff stood for loyalty and against cruelty of the lesser races. And Slytherin stood for cunning and a certain disregard for the rules.

"What it now looks like is; Gryffindor stands for bravery and helping your friends. Ravenclaw still has the intelligence. Hufflepuff is wrongly seen as duffersand friends, and they just want everyone to get along. And Slytherin is about power and blood purity."

"And that's one of the things we're going to fix," added Harry. "Getting the houses back on track but with improvements. Getting them back to the way they were will only lead to the original infighting that forced Salazaar Slytherin to flee."

Everyone thought about that while they enjoyed their tea and sandwiches.

Remembering something, Harry spoke up. "Oh, and Hermione. The next time you go to Diagon Alley be sure to visit Gringotts. Do it quietly and flash your House ring to the first teller you come to, otherwise keep it hidden at all other times, lest you let the cat out of the bag early. Ask the teller to let you speak to the Account Manager for House Ravenclaw.

"When you speak with him you'll find you have an account with about nine and a half million galleons in it," said Harry. "That translates into mundane money somewhere between forty-five and fifty million pounds..."

Dan, who'd been taking a sip of his tea at the time, suddenly coughed a spray of tea over himself.

"Forty-five to fifty million pounds?!" he blurted in shock. "British pounds?"

"Uh-hmm!" nodded Harry. "You didn't think she'd pick up an Earldom and a pretty ring with no money to show for it, did you?

"The goblins transfer one eighth of one percent per galleon paid in student fees into the account of each of the four Houses. It used to be higher but, over the years, the amount transferring across has been whittled down. I know it doesn't sound like much, but we're talking almost a thousand years of money going in, and earning interest, with none going out. On top of that is the money coming in from one quarter of the net rent on the properties of Hogsmeade. It's built up."

"Our daughter's a _multi-millionaire_?" asked Emma.

"As Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw; yes," replied Harry.

"You said not to show the ring when I'm in Diagon Alley, Harry. But, I can't take it off," said Hermione.

"Oh, of course," replied Harry. "You just 'will' it not to show, and it won't. Sorry, I should have mentioned it to you."

Hermione looked down at her ring, frowned a moment, and it disappeared. A few seconds later it reappeared.

"Huh," she said in surprise. "I was wondering how I was going to take it off."

"You can't," said Harry. "It's part of you now. Willing it away will mean you can still wash where the ring is without it getting in your way."

"So, don't show it in the Alley, but just show it to the goblin teller?" she asked.

"Yep," said Harry. "People interested in status know to look for the ring. And showing it may draw the eyes of someone we don't want knowing just yet you're a Head of House.

"The goblins are very discreet about this sort of thing. So, they won't say a word about it. They'll just take you into one of their private interview rooms to discuss the accounts with you.

"When you do, ask about what you need to do to create the Magical House of Granger. And also think about setting up a House vault. If you want extra to do that, ask me. I'll transfer across some galleons from my Head of House Potter vaults."

"Nine and half million galleons and you're asking if she'd need any from you to transfer across?" asked Dan. "Just how rich are you?"

"Well, excluding the Potter Manor, and a number of priceless artworks and jewellery; and excluding the Slytherin account equal to the Ravenclaw one; about forty million galleons or two hundred million pounds," Harry shrugged.

"Combined, that's over a quarter of a billion pounds!" gasped Emma.

Shrugging again, Harry said, "Yeah."

"How can you be so blasé, about it?" she asked.

"The money will make life easier once we get everything else out of the way. But it's not going to do me any good if I'm... if we're... dead," said Harry. "However, if I can make use of it in what we need to accomplish well before then, then I'm going to use it."

After chatting for a little while longer Harry took his leave. He might not have much to do until Sirius could be sprung from Azkaban but he could collect at least one, if not two, of the horcruxes.

# # #

Disapparating at the old Gaunt Shack in the woods just outside of Little Hangleton, Harry made his way to the shack. Outside, he summoned the ring belonging to Marvolo Gaunt, Tom's maternal grandfather, to his hand. Quickly, he bound it with spells to suppress the effects of the horcrux, and dropped it into his pocket. He didn't want Dumbledore finding it.

Once done he moved to the graveyard where Riddle's father, Thomas Riddle, was buried. He removed the bones from the grave and moved them to sit atop a gravesite on the other side of the graveyard. Then he ground the bones into dust by causing the molecules within them to release their grip upon one another.

Looking around, Harry could see his work there was done. He apparated away, back to the palace. Once back, he placed the ring in a special compartment within his trunk that is hidden from those without magic. Once inside, the ring was sealed off from anyone finding it. Harry planned on taking it to the goblins later to remove and destroy the piece of soul within it.

# # #

Waking early again the next morning and enjoying another excellent English breakfast, Harry thought he'd visit Hogsmeade and get a feel for the wards around Hogwarts. He wanted to learn what he could of them, without Dumbledore being any the wiser.

For that he needed to be alert and pay careful attention to what he was doing. Dumbledore might discover someone was testing the wards but, if Harry was careful, the manipulating old fool would not know who it was.

For this trip, Harry left his satchel behind in his suite within the palace.

He phoenix-flashed out of the palace and reappeared in the skies above the Hogsmeade train station and quickly sought a thermal. A thermal was one of those spiralling columns of air flowing upwards from the ground below.

Once he'd played in his form for a while just spiralling upwards, he allowed himself to float gently towards the borders of Hogwarts' wards.

Glancing off just the very outer edge he could sense what was there. Harry found magics laid upon old magics laid upon very old magics. But a lot of the wards were inactive. And there were wards that really shouldn't have been there. One, however, answered a question Harry and Myrrdin were puzzled about; why did the wizarding world believe magic and technology could not exist side by side.

What Harry found was a magic 'field' that caused anything powered by electricity to eventually fail, and the more electronic - the more sensitive the device - the quicker it failed. Someone almost a century ago, had created as part of the wards the field that caused the problem. Someone believed magical folk should not interact with electricity, and took steps to ensure they didn't.

So, that answered the question of why magical folk won't at least come into the twentieth century. Remove that and the castle could be modified. That will then allow teaching aids such as projectors, computers, printing equipment... hell, just adding electric lights will be a boon.

After a leisurely but full circuit of the wards Harry had an idea of what needed to be done, security-wise, in getting the wards rebuilt. Some, he knew, he'd be better off stripping them out completely and replacing them. And there were others he could add that weren't that difficult.

However, what bothered him the most was the almost living presence he felt from the school. The eagerness he felt from the presence that felt like it was telling him he should stop mucking about and just go straight to the castle. He didn't realise that such a collection in one place of magical folk over a millennium could generate that. But, if it was the presence of that many magicals together, then he should have felt the same thing when he went to Diagon Alley. However, within Diagon Alley, he felt nothing.

'The only thing it can be', he thought, 'was that it has something to do with my animagus form. Maybe that was why phoenixes were so rare as familiars.'

Giving a phoenix-like shrug, Harry headed away from the wards and gently flew over Hogsmeade proper. Once well past the little village he phoenix flashed away.

The rest of the day he spent wandering the streets of London enjoying the sights, before returning to the palace.

# # #

Monday morning and Harry headed out to London and bought himself a small cassette tape walkman and a cheap audio tape of some American group called Kiss. Adding a packet of batteries Harry took his purchases in amongst the trees in a quiet area of St James Park.

In the park he followed the instructions and loaded the batteries, as directed. Then he put the cassette in to the little tray and, still following the instructions, pushed the play button until it clicked down.

Looking in through the little window on top he could see the two little cogs of the cassette slowly turning. He held one of the ear buds up to his ear and he could hear the god-awful sound of whatever music the Kiss band played. He wasn't surprised the little cassette in its plastic box was one of the cheaper ones.

Now that he'd confirmed it worked he started casting charms on it. And after about ten minutes the little wheels were still turning. Checking the sound from it he could still hear the thumping and tinny sound of electric guitars.

More casting and he finally figured out one area where magic did affect it. The device did not like being transfigured into something and back again. However, once he replaced the batteries it worked again. So, the device was fine; it was the batteries that were the problem. And batteries were where the device stored it's electricity.

He then tried just transforming a bit of wood into a battery and trying that. But the battery was dead. And he tried transforming an existing battery while it was not in use to a block of wood and back again. But it, too, turned up dead.

Experimenting done, Harry now had a much clearer idea about the interaction of magic and electricity. The devices were fine. However, if they had a battery within them, the battery could not handle certain aspects of magic. Especially those related to transfiguration.

He began to wonder if he could create an electrical device, but bring the batteries with him. There was no reason why it wouldn't work.

He suddenly realised the answer was a lot simpler than that. Generators!

Generators didn't store electricity. Instead, they converted liquid fossil fuel into electricity to be used immediately. And, the bigger the generator, the more power it could provide. That meant he could use equipment that ran on 250v; normal household power. As for the noise of the generator, a simple silencing charm would fix that.

His problem then became fuel. He had to figure a way to get fuel to the generator. That bore more thought.

# # #

That evening Harry met with the Queen for dinner. Michel had approached him soon after he'd returned from his experimenting to inform him the Queen invited him. When asked, he was informed the dress for the evening was semi-formal.

"I don't think I own anything semi-formal," he said to Michael. "Do you have anything where I can see what it looks like?"

Michael went out for a short while before returning with a photo album. Flicking through it he showed Harry a few where a man was dressed in how Harry was expected to look.

Harry, now with an idea as to the standard of dress, grabbed some clothes that looked similar and transfigured them to match.

"How's that?" he asked Michael.

"That's... it, My Lord," replied Michael. "But, if I may make a few suggestions?"

Harry, with Michael's help, set about improving on Harry's original design into something with which Michael was satisfied.

"I think that will be perfect, My Lord," said Michael, walking around the outfit as it hung on... nothing.

"You'll need to change soon, too," said Michael. "A page will attend soon to take you to Her Majesty's private dining room."

After changing, Harry did not have long to wait before one of the Queen's pages collected him and led him down to Her Majesty's private apartments. Inside he immediately saw a large table covered in a snowy white tablecloth covered in glittering silverware and crystal glasses.

Around the room were some of the Queen's personal household attendants standing at attention against the walls. Just taking a seat were two gentlemen Harry had not yet met. Both about the same age as the 'Royal Summoner'. Both wore similar outfits to Harry's with one wearing a set of service ribbons above his right breast.

Just after Harry walked in one of the attendants stepped forward to a chair opposite the two gentlemen and pulled it out. Clearly he was expected to sit there.

After he was seated another attendant offered a decanter of orange juice. Harry nodded and the juice was poured into a glass tumbler before his right hand.

Harry hadn't even had a chance to say hello to the two gentlemen opposite him when the Queen entered the room. Both men immediately stood with Harry half a beat behind them.

The Queen sat and said, "Please, sit."

And they were all seated.

"Before we begin," the Queen said and turned to acknowledge Harry, "This, gentlemen, is Lord Harry James Potter, Earl of Slytherin, Head of the House of Potter, Heir to the House of Black."

Then turning to acknowledge the other two, the Queen said, "And this, My Lord, is Sir David Smythe-Umpton of MI5, and Sir Anthony Barringer of New Scotland Yard."

Harry smiled and nodded at the two men seated opposite while both looked back with undisguised looks of curiosity.

"So," began Sir David, "you're the young man who dropped such a bombshell on my offices on Friday afternoon. And, again, later that evening."

"And the young man who had four of my constables scratching their heads in confusion trying to find manor houses that didn't exist," said Sir Anthony. "But, we now know actually _do_ exist but we just can't _see_ them."

"Yes," replied Harry. "I'm sorry about that. And about what's to come for both your people. Hopefully, it won't be as bad as feared but best to be prepared in case it does."

"Before you gentlemen start talking shop," said Her Majesty. "Perhaps, we shall have the first course."

Immediately, the first course of a light but very tasty vegetable soup was brought forth. Harry found it very nice and wished for more. However, he had no idea how many courses there'd be and knew he needed to leave room for it.

He'd barely finished his bowl before it was whisked away and a plate of veal with a red wine jus and steamed vegetables on the side was placed before him. Some of the vegetables were not ones of which he was fond, but he actually found them to be deliciously prepared and did not want to offend by leaving anything behind.

After his plate was whisked away there clearly followed a break; as Sir David said to him, "Her Majesty has informed us we need to search for folks who disappeared as children who were eleven years old as of 1st September on that date or a little earlier, but return some six years later, or a little later."

"That is correct, Sir," replied Harry. "You will also expect them to be exceedingly secretive of where they've been, lacking in a normal education and seeking a new education, and or seeking employment within the police service or the military forces. Some may have sought adult apprenticeships or just taken menial jobs where a lack of education does not matter."

"And you suspect these people to have been students at your wizard school?" asked Sir Anthony.

"Some of them, yes; the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry up near the west coast of Scotland," answered Harry. "And something else has just occurred to me and I kick myself for not thinking of it earlier."

"Oh?" asked Sir David.

"Yes," replied Harry. "I've been thinking big picture these past few days and haven't thought of the little details. But I'm pretty sure the Ministry of Magic... sorry, the Ministry _for_ Magic... will have a record of the students who have attended for at least the last century. They would have to, as they need to consult their files when checking for children who use underage magic.

"I'm sure I can ask Madam Bones, the lady who heads the police force for magical Britain, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement - DMLE - to give you a copy of that. You know, as cooperation between law enforcement agencies. And, once you're able to track down some of the folks, they should be able to point you towards others."

"That would make life a lot easier, yes," said Sir David.

"I'll need to visit her later this evening," said Harry, taking a sip of his juice. "I'll ask her then."

"Another of those cubes of yours, My Lord Potter?" asked the Queen.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Harry confirmed. "This will be the second one and the first of the ones that just hold information."

"And what information are you providing them, tonight?" She asked.

"This is the complete works of mundane law for the United Kingdom," replied Harry. "By tomorrow morning, as can I, the three other Heirs would be able to sit for the bar for the United Kingdom justice system and pass it with a one hundred percent score."

"That's... that's... astonishing!" spluttered Sir Anthony.

Harry just shrugged and said, "That's magic, Sir Anthony."

The third course was delivered. A lovely crème caramel with a scorched sugar coating. Once he'd tasted it, Harry decided it was one of his favourite dishes.

Once he'd finished Harry said, "Let me ask you both. Are either of you aware of magicals within your own organisations?"

Sir Anthony looked back with a slightly puzzled expression and replied, "No, My Lord. Not that I'm aware of."

But, Sir David looked uncomfortable and hesitated for a while before he said, "We have two that I know of. But I won't get into details of what they do for us."

"That's okay, Sir," replied Harry. "I don't need to know. But, have you considered asking them for the names of others they know?"

"Errr...," hemmed Sir David.

Harry held up his hand and said, "Again, I don't need to know. It was more in the form of a suggestion than a question."

Seeing the man who was obviously his friend being a bit uncomfortable, Sir Anthony asked, "Would you mind showing me a bit of real magic? I'm just curious to see what it actually looks like."

Harry grinned back and answered, "Of course."

Holding out his hand Harry levitated the carafe of orange juice that was sitting on a side board across to himself, and refilled his glass. Then he levitated it back. Next he transfigured Sir Anthony's dessert bowl into a little white kitten, which 'Meow'ed at him before Harry changed it back. And finally, he created a glowing ball of blue white light about six inches in diameter and had it hover about three feet above the table, leaving it there.

"That, of course, is only a very tiny bit of what magic can do and on a small scale," said Harry. "It can also be used to heal and to harm, do things on a grand scale or small, be used to relocate yourself or something else from one location to another across the globe in mere moments, just about anything, really."

"Sir David," asked Harry, turning to the other man. "Have you sent your people to the Granger residence yet?"

"Not yet, My Lord. That's due within the next couple of days," he replied.

"Good," Harry nodded. "When they do visit, I suggest they use the word 'astonishing' in a sentence when greeting the Major at the door. He knows that to be a code word that tells him the person saying it is in the know."

Sir David twitched an eyebrow and said, "That's very clever, My Lord. It's a rare enough word in the English language that it's rarely used in normal speech, but still easy enough to use in a normal sentence."

"Thank you, I thought so too," grinned Harry.

After a little more chatting Harry reminded the Queen he had to visit the other three Heirs. He knew it was a breach of proprietary to leave before Her Majesty, but She also understood he needed to go.

Before leaving both Sir David and Sir Anthony asked him to stop by MI5 and Scotland Yard respectively soon, as they both wanted further information. Harry promised to do both and said he'd use the word 'astonishing' with the receptionist to let them know he was there.

As a last demonstration of his magic to them both, Harry stepped a little away from the table, said goodnight, and phoenix-flashed back to his room.

'Let them think on that,' he thought.

# # #

After stopping only long enough to get changed and collect his satchel Harry donned his glamour and phoenix-flashed and apparated to the Longbottom Manor.

Greeting Augusta he asked, "How's Neville?"

"He's fine, thank you," she said. "He stopped staring at the walls about lunch time."

"Good," said Harry nodding. "He must be done with both the sorting and his shields, then."

Augusta nodded. "I take it that means he's now protected against Legilimency?"

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry.

"Then it's on to the next cube tonight, as planned?" she asked.

"Definitely," replied Harry. "I take it he's in his room? Ready for bed?"

Augusta nodded and said, "Yes, My Lord. He's ready."

Leading the way again, Augusta headed upstairs with Harry behind.

Entering the room Harry saw Neville sitting and thinking.

"Hiya, Nev," he said.

"Hi, Harry," replied Neville. "That's a very cool thing you did for me with that cube."

"Glad it helped, mate," said Harry. "What form did you give your visual representation of your mind?"

"A castle," the lad replied grinning. "I've got rooms set up for the information and, just as Merlin said, I've got a nice little trap room for anyone who tries to use Legilimency on me."

"Mine's a small mundane town," said Harry. "It has a fountain, and everything."

"Nice," said Neville nodding. "So, I'm ready for the next one, then?"

"Did Merlin say you were ready?" Harry asked back instead.

"Yeah, he did," replied Neville. "He danced a funny little dance when we reached that part."

"A jig, I know," said Harry grinning. "Then you're ready for the next one. But you're going to have to lie down like last time."

Neville quickly lay down and smiled with excitement, and Augusta came forward and kissed him goodnight.

Having already removed it from its case, Harry placed the second cube on Neville's forehead and said, "Don't forget to let your shields down to let the information in. This one's on mundane law."

Neville simply nodded, and Harry tapped the cube and said, "Goodnight!" and Neville was asleep.

Rising, Harry said to Augusta, "This one won't be anything like the first. There'll be no staring at walls, or anything like that. It is simply information on mundane law that he'll be able to retrieve as needed.

Then he headed for the Bones Manor through the floo.

# # #

Amelia also told Harry that Susan had stopped staring at the walls all the time just before lunch, and had told her that Merlin had said she was ready.

After going to Susan's bedroom to ensure she was ready for bed, Amelia came back out and called Harry to follow her.

Entering Susan's room, Harry could see the young girl was lying in bed with the blankets pulled up to her chin, waiting.

As he sat upon the edge of the girl's bed, Harry said, "Hi, Susan." And brought forth Susan's second cube showing it to her.

"What form did you decide for your mind palace?" asked Harry.

"Ummm... It's like Diagon Alley but bigger," she replied. "I hope that's okay."

"Of course it is," replied Harry gently. "Mine is somewhat similar. I have a mundane village."

"And since you're ready for the next cube, the question is, do you want it?" he went on to say.

"Yes. Definitely," she replied.

"Madam Bones?" Harry asked Amelia.

She nodded, stepped forward and kissed her young niece goodnight.

Harry placed the cube on the Susan's forehead as he did with the first and, tapping it, said, "Goodnight!"

Rising from the bed he said to Amelia, "This one is mundane law of the United Kingdom. She won't be meditating for this one when she awakens. But she might spend a bit of time reviewing what's available to her. However, I doubt she'll find it all that interesting to spend long periods of time on it."

Amelia led Harry back down to the parlour and asked, "How many more are there after this one, again?"

"Twelve," replied Harry. "There'll be one per night from now until completion."

"Oh," said Harry, remembering. "The Heads of MI5 and Scotland Yard would like to know if you can provide them with a list of mundane born or raised wizards and witches. They're looking for those who attended Hogwarts and returned to the mundane world. It would aid them greatly if they had names they could then investigate. I think they're also looking to see if the names may provide them with an answer to disappearances they may have on their books.

"The names will not be made public as this is a security of the realm matter. The whole business, you can expect, is locked behind some pretty high security safeguards."

Amelia thought about it for a while and said, "I'll see what I can do. But my main focus will be first freeing your godfather from Azkaban. I know a Royal Command when I hear it."

"I couldn't ask for more, thank you," replied Harry. "Now, I need to head for the Grangers."

Saying good night to Amelia he once more donned his glamour and phoenix-flashed to a secluded spot just around the corner from the Grangers.

# # #

Knocking on the door he gave the password and walked in, once Dan had backed away and gestured for him to enter.

"How's Hermione doing?" Harry asked.

"She stopped doing that staring at the walls thing early this morning," replied Dan. "Since then she's been bouncing off the walls waiting for you to come by with the next cube."

Harry grinned and said, "I figured as much. That girl is just an information sponge."

Dan just smiled in response.

"Well," he said. "She already in bed and waiting. I guess we should head up."

Harry nodded and followed Dan up the stairs to Hermione's room. The door was already open, so they went right in.

Harry sat on the edge of the bed and drew out the second cube for Hermione before turning to her and saying, "This one's mundane law. Tomorrow morning you will have the complete works of mundane law at your disposal. Don't forget you need to keep your shields open for you to be able to absorb the information."

"Yeah, Merlin told me that," she replied.

"And what form did you choose for your mind palace?" asked Harry.

"It's a big library broken into separate rooms," she replied enthusiastically.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Harry said. "As long as it works for you, that's fine."

Turning to Dan he asked, "Have you said your good nights?"

Dan nodded.

"In that case...," Harry said, leaning forward and placing the cube on Hermione's forehead. He then tapped the cube and said, "Good night!"

Dan said, "So, no staring off into space with this one?"

"No, Sir," replied Harry, rising from the edge of the bed. "This is just information. However, she may spend periods reviewing what's there. Just remind her it's not going to go away and it'll always be available to recall at will. She doesn't need to attempt to read every volume."

Dan nodded and led the way back downstairs to the lounge.

"I take it we're now going to see you every night, now," he said.

"For tonight and the next twelve nights, yes," replied Harry. "After that, we'll see. I've still a lot of other tasks I need to complete before 1st September, so I need time to do those."

Dan nodded and said, then I guess I'll see you tomorrow night about... the same time?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "Goodnight."

And flashed back to his room in the palace.

# # #

Harry wished that technology had caught up to what he saw in the time viewer and things had progressed another couple of years. A mobile phone would make an excellent tool he could carry, he hoped, for the others to be able to contact him; especially the Grangers. However, mobile phone technology was still a couple of years off being worthwhile.

He also still hadn't solved the issue with batteries yet, so mobile phones would still prove to be a problem until he could test the theory that just apparating or floo travel wouldn't kill them.

Still with nothing much to do he decided to spend his morning wandering through Diagon Alley under his glamour. He was just enjoying spending the morning around other magicals.

After a bit to eat for lunch he decided to head over to the MI5 building. He apparated to St Johns Gardens about two blocks north of the building on Millbank and walked the rest of the way. Just before he arrived, he dropped his glamour.

Once inside he found his way to the MI5 offices and approached the receptionist.

"Could you inform Sir David that the astonishing young man he had dinner with last night was here to see him?" he asked the lady.

"Is he expecting you?" she asked.

"I believe so, yes," replied Harry.

"One moment," she said before making the call via her headset.

A few moments later the receptionist looked up at Harry and said, "Someone will be down to collect you shortly. You may take a seat if you like."

Harry just smiled and said, "Thank you, Ma'am," but remained standing. He knew he wasn't going to be waiting long.

A few minutes later a young man came down, approached Harry and asked, "My Lord?"

Harry smiled and said, "Yes."

"This way, please, My Lord," the man said and led Harry to a bank of elevators behind the security screening area.

Exiting a couple of floors later, the man had not said anything further to Harry. He just led him through a set of office cubicles and into an office.

Inside, Harry found Sir David sitting behind a desk. As soon as Sir David saw him he smiled and said to Harry's escort, "Thank you, Thomas. Please shut the door behind you on the way out."

Sir David said, "Please, My Lord, take a seat," as the young man, Thomas, closed the door on his way out of the office.

"Thank you," said Harry taking the offered chair. "I'm sorry I didn't call first, but... well... I don't have a phone as yet."

"Think nothing of it, My Lord," said Sir David, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm glad you came."

"I spoke to Madam Bones, last night," said Harry. "And she's going to see what she can do to get you a copy of that list of past Hogwarts students. However, she's focussed, at the moment, on getting my godfather out of the wizard world's prison he was dumped in without a trial. She recognises she's under direct orders from Her Majesty to... expedite matters relating to that.

"That's also my focus. But I believe she will make the effort to collect the list soon. Her problem will be in getting the list together without raising suspicions within the Ministry as to why she wants it."

"That is excellent news, My Lord," beamed Sir David. "And, yes, I do understand the need for discretion."

"Now, I also believe you wanted to talk to me about other matters," prompted Harry.

"Yes," replied Sir David. "I wanted to hear more about this terrorist that was running around in the late 70s. What can you tell me about him?"

Harry nodded and said, "His name was... is... Tom Marvolo Riddle, but he went by the name of Lord Voldemort."

And Harry went on to describe Riddle's history and his time rampaging across Britain with his Death Eaters and other followers. He described the killing curses and how they didn't leave a mark on their victims. And that the deaths were usually across family groups, or clusters. As he talked Sir David took notes.

When he was finished Sir David looked up at him and asked, "How do we apprehend such people?"

Harry sighed and said, "Without magical support, you can't. You can kill them, or even knock them out cold. But as soon as they revive, they'll be gone."

"So I need to have people with magic ability in each of the teams I send against these people who call themselves Death Eaters?" asked Sir David.

"Yep; but not just magicals. They need to be trained in fighting such an adversary," replied Harry. "And that requires people trained to be Aurors. Else, any magical sent into battle will simply be targeted first, once the bad guys learn magicals are involved on your side.

"It's this reason, above all else, that drives me to deal with the problem from within the magical world. After that, I can in my position as Earl of Slytherin, together with the other three Earldoms, force the Wizengamot, the ruling body of the magical world in Britain, to toe the bloody line.

"Once we have control of the Wizengamot we can force the changes from within. And that'll allow us to have trained Aurors working side by side with their mundane counterparts; MI5 and Scotland Yard.

"But we have time. Our own research and studies have discovered Riddle won't be resurrected until around May of 1994. By then we'll have regained control of the Wizengamot and the Ministry."

"Resurrected, My Lord?" asked Sir David with some surprise.

"Yep. Resurrected," replied Harry. "At least, that's the closest term to what he's up to."

"What Riddle has done," he continued, "is managed to use a magical way of locking pieces of his soul to the mortal plane. Until his soul is freed from those locks there is at least one ritual I'm aware of, that'll allow him to return in physical form. Besides freeing my godfather from prison for a crime he didn't commit, I'm focussed on hunting those anchors, those locks, down and having them destroyed.

"And, by then, I'll be in a position to be able to get the Ministry for Magic back working with the rest of the government as they should be. And that means the Department of Magical Law Enforcement will be working with MI5 and Scotland Yard as equals, working together for the betterment of all the United Kingdom."

"A lofty goal, My Lord," said Sir David.

"Perhaps," sighed Harry. "But I know I'm going to have to bang quite a number of pretty thick skulls together to accomplish anywhere near such lofty heights."

"No matter how lofty the height," said the head of MI5, "One step at a time will get you closer to the peak."

Harry snorted and said, "That, and some Chinese biscuit dough, will make you a fortune cookie."

Sir David laughed and said, "Clever."

"Anyway, Sir David," Harry said rising to his feet. "I must be off. Places to be, worlds to save, you know how it is."

Sir David grinned, offered his hand and said, "Pay my respects to Sir Anthony when next you see him."

Shaking his hand, Harry replied, "Of course, Sir."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I intend to skip the whole travel down to the ground floor and exit that way, thing," said Harry. "Time for you to see something else magic is capable of, apparating."

Before Sir David could even ask what he meant, Harry popped away.

# # #

Wondering how things were going with his three charges, Harry decided to pay an early visit to the Grangers.

Having redonned his glamour, he arrived outside the Granger home to see an electrician's van outside.

He walked up to the front door and knocked. 'Hmm, a suitable sentence to use,' he thought.

Dan opened the door and Harry began to say, "A particularly astonish...Oikk!" as Dan grabbed him by a fistful of his shirt and dragged him inside.

Pinning him up against the wall in the entry hall a rather frazzled looking Dan snarled, "You've got to make her stop!"

"Errr..." said Harry. "A... female electrician... giving you a hard time?"

"No, you idiot!" snarled Dan, "Hermione!"

Dan, still holding on to a fistful of Harry's shirt, pulled him off the wall and shoved him into the lounge room. "You did it; you fix it!" he half barked.

Harry, wondering what the hell was going on, soon figured it out.

Harry found Hermione in the kitchen scolding the, clearly MI5, electronic surveillance systems installers on subjects ranging from building code violations, to flat out criminal trespass laws regarding surveillance, to laws regarding the safe installation of cabling.

The two electronic security experts were taking turns saying, "We're just following orders, My Lady," "It's for your protection, My Lady" and similar empty responses.

To which she blustered, "That excuse didn't work at Nuremburg, and it isn't going to work here!"

"Hermione!" Harry called to her.

Getting no response he tried again. "Hermione!"

Finally recognising someone was trying to get her attention, Hermione turned and said, "What?"

Harry dropped his glamour and said, "Come in to the lounge room for a minute."

"But, Harry," she said exasperatedly. "Do you know how may laws they're breaking?"

"Of course you do," she said, answering her own question. "They're _your_ lessons!"

Harry again said, "Come in to the lounge room for a minute."

Hermione huffed and followed Harry in to the lounge.

"Now, if you promise to let the security teams do the work that they..." he began.

"But, Harry..." she interrupted.

"Ah!" exclaimed Harry. holding up a finger. "If you promise to let the security teams do the work they need to do... to help keep you and your parents alive... I'm going to show you something else exciting to learn."

That grabbed Hermione's attention, just as Harry knew it would.

"What?" Hermione eagerly asked.

"First, though," said Harry calmly. "They're operating under instructions passed down to them from the Crown. And it's being done without the proper paperwork because..."

"Oh," said Hermione suddenly understanding. "The Crown has the right to take such actions as necessary to protect Her peerage, and does not require the normal requirements of much of the law to carry out such protective action."

"Correct!" replied Harry. "So, that means these people..."

"Aren't doing anything wrong under the law," huffed Hermione.

"That's right," said Harry. "So, stop picking on them!"

"Okay, okay," sighed Hermione just a little sulkily. "But, just because it's not unlawful does not mean they can violate the codes. That's a safety..."

"Ah!" exclaimed Harry, again holding up a finger. "I told you, if you promise to let the security teams do the work they need to do, I'm going to show you something else exciting to learn."

"Okay, I'll leave them alone and not point out the glaringly egregious..." she said before Harry interrupted her again with his finger in the air.

"You will leave them, and any other people tasked with protecting you and your family, alone," commanded Harry. "They have a job to do and they're going to be allowed to do it! Understand?"

"Yes, Harry," she said in a bit of a huff.

Harry waited to make sure she didn't launch, once more, into a rant.

When he saw she was calmer, he said, "Now for the lesson... Do you remember how I said any wand waver can transform into an animagus form?"

"Yes?" she asked, quite interested.

"Well, you currently have the skill to discover what your form is going to take," said Harry.

"I do?" she asked.

"You do," he said. "All it takes is meditation. The same sort of meditation you used to develop your eidetic memory and Occlumency shields. The difference is, you want to meditate and let your mind float free. Let it come to you."

"But," she said, "how can you focus through meditation, but not focus to let the animagus form develop?"

"Meditate and ask Merlin," replied Harry. "He can help guide you."

"Okay,thanksHarry," Hermione rapidly said. And, before Harry could even say she was welcome, she'd already dashed for the stairs, heading to her bedroom.

Watching Hermione's feet as they disappeared at the top of the stairs, he sighed.

He was broken out of his musings when he heard from the kitchen, "Thank God!"

Dan, who had come up behind him, tapped him on the elbow and offered him a tumbler with about a half inch of an amber liquid and ice blocks.

"What's this?" asked Harry.

"Scotch"

"Sir, I'm only eleven."

"Bullsh... puckey!" stated Dan. "You may look it, lad; but, you sure as hell aren't."

"Major?" they both turned to the door in the kitchen, where one of the electronics boffins had poked his head through the door.

"Sir," the tech said plaintively. "Has she gone? Please, say she's gone."

"She's up in her room, meditating," said Dan. "She should be busy for hours."

"Thank you, Sir!" the tech said. "And, if I may ask, do you have the young Sir's number on speed dial?"

Harry just snorted in amusement.

"Oh, Gods, man!" said Dan back. "She's an eleven year old girl. What's wrong with you?"

"Sir, they taught us how to deal with all sorts of hazards in all sorts of risky situations. But they never gave us a class on how to deal with eleven year old girls on a rampage."

Dan just grinned, looked at Harry and said, "He's got a point, you know. How do we contact you if we need you?"

"I've been thinking on that, Sir," said Harry. "And I think I may have an answer. I'll just have to figure out how to make it work, first."

"Please, do," replied Dan, taking a sip of his scotch. "And how long, really, is this latest thing going to take her?"

Thinking deeply Harry replied, "It depends on the person. If she can get past the not focussing while focussing thing it can happen in a matter of days. However, Hermione's going to try and push it. That means she's going to take longer. I'm really hoping she still won't manage it by 1st September.

"However, if she does, she'll only be able to discover her animagus form, not necessarily change into it.

"And, if she gets past that hurdle, I'm sure I'll think of something else for her to do that'll challenge her and keep her busy."

"I hope so, lad," the older man said. "I hope so."

Taking his leave, Harry changed back into his glamour and left on foot. He decided to walk down to the local shops to see if he could make a purchase there. A dozen or so little foldaway mirrors, a permanent marker, a three foot length of five millimetre thick dowel, a roll of thin cord and some paper and pens.

With his purchases in hand, Harry walked into a laneway and phoenix-flashed back to the palace. What he wanted to do would take some study.

# # #

Back in his suite, Harry unpacked all his purchases on the coffee table in his little lounge room. And laid them all out to ensure he had everything.

Then, using pen and paper, he set about designing the runes he would need to make the law of contagion work with quantum entanglement, the protean charm and the magic of the mirrors.

He knew he would need one each for himself and the three other heirs. He would also need one each for Amelia, Augusta and the elder Grangers. He then thought he could provide one for Sir Anthony, Sir David and the Queen. That made ten. He could then make the others as spares, doing the setup work but not configuring, what he called, the dialling runes.

Next he removed the mirrors from their little flip open hinged metallic cases. On the back of each he laid a near identical rune with the permanent market. He called this the user's rune. Unhappy with the image provided by each mirror - it made the person looking into it too close - he slightly convexed each mirror so, when holding the mirror up in front of you at about eighteen inches, it showed his whole head and a little of his shoulders. Then did the same with each of the others.

Then, he placed each mirror back into its case and caused the original glue that was holding them in to rebond the mirror into the back of the lid of the case.

Next on his list was to use the permanent marker to lay down twelve runes in a four line three row tic-tac-toe arrangement on the flat surface within the case opposite the mirror. Each of the first ten runes was linked to a different mirror using, for the most part, a permanent protean charm. He even included the rune for the mirror in which the rune was put. He thought of this as the off button, meaning the mirror was only linking to itself.

He then added two tiny runes, one to the bottom half along the edge that touched the top half, and one to the top half so it would touch the one on the bottom half. To these he made it so the device would vibrate and hum if a connection came in. But would stop as soon as the two runes were drawn apart, as in, the mirror was opened.

His original problem with the idea of runes was that it needed someone with a magical core to activate one. But his fiddling with batteries earlier reminded him that wands could store magical energy, like a magical battery. So, he would make tiny wands that could store enough magical energy so a mundane could use the device.

He picked up the cord and cut off five pieces of about twelve inches in length, and set them aside.

He picked up his length of thin dowel and caused five pieces to shear off at four inch, ten centimetre, lengths. He then pulled five individual reasonably long hairs from his own head. Laying a piece of dowel and a single strand of hair side-by side he caused the two to merge, with the single strand of hair running down the centre core of the wood.

He then reshaped the wood into an imitation wand in the same manner as bonsai pruners or those who carve, he simply shaved off what he didn't want until the shape he wanted appeared. Next he caused a small hole to appear almost through to the core into the end where the handle would be and poked one end of one of the cut lengths of cord into the hole. Holding it in place he willed the hole to close, sealing the cord and mini wand together.

He repeated the process on the other four 'mini' wands. A simple spell and he caused the wood of all five to harden. Then he tied the other end of each of the cords of the mini wands to the hinge of each of five of the mirror cases.

Thinking a bit he then etched a tiny rune into the tip of each of his mini wands that allowed the wand to store magical energy and to only release a tiny pulse each time the tip was pressed to any of the runes. This would activate the rune causing the protean charm to link the mirror to its counterpart runed mirror.

Finally he used his own magic to charge each of the five wands.

Knowing he was running out of time before he had to go visit the three other heirs he hurried to test them. Using the ones without wands he tested each to ensure they linked to the other nine. Then, suppressing his magical core, he tested each of the five using the wands to activate them to connect to each of the other nine.

It was a bit time consuming but he was done. He now had his own magical radio network with an individual 'channel' for each person in possession of one of the mirrors. And it would work through his change to animagus form and back without ending up with flat batteries as he suspected would happen if he was carrying batteries at the time.

After he was finished he realised he could have also set up groups where a mirror could connect to a group of other mirrors. He mentally head-smacked himself for not thinking of it before he started and put the thought of doing that aside for another day.

But now he had to head back to the three heirs with the next cube for each.

# # #


	10. Harry's Admission

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Ten - Harry's Admission

Before leaving for Longbottom Manor, Harry wrote down which rune would link their mirror to which mirror.

He also wrote a tiny number into the top of the case corresponding to the rune on the back of the mirror within it. Now he wouldn't get them mixed up.

He left the last five behind in his trunk, dropped the first one into his pocket for his own use, and put the other six into his satchel with the cubes.

Checking to make sure he had everything he needed, and that the time was flying past, he knew he only had a short while to enjoy a meal before he needed to be at Longbottom Manor. So, he flashed to a laneway near a restaurant he wanted to try and went in for a quick meal.

At 8.20pm, he left the restaurant and went back to the laneway. He apparated to just outside the Longbottom Manor and was knocking on the door very close to 8.30pm sharp.

After giving mirror #2 to Neville and mirror #5 to Augusta he showed them how to use them. He also said how it would save their long distance conversations being overhead by other parties. He also handed over a copy of the list that had whose mirror was linked to which rune. When asked about who Sir David and who Sir Anthony were he told them they were Madam Boneses counterparts in law enforcement in the mundane world. And that they shouldn't contact either of them, nor the Queen, unless in the most direst of emergencies.

Neville was happy as it now allowed him to talk to the others about their experiences with the cubes, and it allowed him to talk to Harry and ask him questions whenever he needed to. And Augusta was happy as it allowed he to talk securely with Amelia and with Neville while he was away at Hogwarts.

After applying the third cube, wizarding law and the laws of logic, to Neville, Harry headed to the Ossuary.

# # #

At Bones Manor Harry gave mirror #3 to Susan and mirror #6 to Amelia. He gave them both the same list and ran through the same spiel he'd given the Longbottoms.

While waiting for Susan to get ready for bed, Harry broached the subject of his godfather's release.

"How's the research into the paperwork related to Sirius Black's incarceration coming along?" he asked Amelia.

"Well, you're right about me not being able to find any records relating to his arrest, trial or conviction," she began. "I've now started interviewing the Aurors who are still alive who were at Godric's Hollow that night. They remember him saying he killed your parents but none of them remember conducting a record of interview once he was brought back to the Ministry.

"I've also found out which Aurors took him from the Ministry to Azkaban. Both believed he'd already been tried and convicted. Both believed the other had the paperwork that was his conviction record that sent him to Azkaban.

"I think I'm going to be able to start the ball rolling tomorrow on getting him a proper trial."

"Do I need to retain a lawyer for him?" he asked.

"I think it would be a very good idea, if you did," she replied. "Would you like me to give you the details of a good, and honest, criminal case solicitor?"

"Yes, please," said Harry. "One that is very discreet but knows how to use the media to further the benefits of his client. But is also local to the Ministry."

"I'll use the mirror to contact you first thing in the morning with the details," she said.

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry gratefully.

"Come on, then," she said, changing the subject. "We'd best get you moving on to the Grangers."

She led Harry in to Susan's room. And, after applying the third cube to Susan, he headed to the Grangers.

# # #

Arriving at the Grangers he found the household a lot calmer than it was earlier in the day.

After letting him in Dan led him into the lounge where Emma was already waiting.

"How was Hermione after I left?" he asked Dan.

"She meditated for the rest of the day, only coming down for dinner before returning to her room," said Dan.

"I'm not sure what I prefer," said Emma. "Having Hermione around and annoying the boys from MI5, or up in her room meditating."

"What did she used to do before the mediation?" asked Harry.

Emma thought for a bit before replying, "She used to sit down here in one of the armchairs and read, mostly. But she also used to help me with the meals."

"Okay," said Harry, thinking. "If she's still awake, call her down; and tell her to bring a book with her."

Emma headed off to collect Hermione while Harry turned to Dan and asked, "How was everything with the MI5 boys? They got everything in place yet?"

"They've got the internal sensors and alarms all installed," said Dan. "Another crew will be around tomorrow to do the outside ones and connect them through."

Emma then returned with Hermione, carrying a book.

With everyone sitting, Harry turned to Hermione and said, "You need to do me and your parents a favour."

"What sort of favour?" she asked.

"We need you to behave as you did before I started with the cubes," replied Harry. "That is, we need you to come down here and sit in your favourite chair and look like you're reading a book."

"But what about my meditation?" she asked puzzled.

"I said _look like_ you're reading a book," explained Harry. "You can mediate anywhere at any time. I'm asking you to do it while sitting in your favourite chair looking like you're reading a book.

"But, secondly; in just over seven weeks you're leaving home for the west coast of Scotland and won't be returning until Christmas. Your parents are going to miss you. You need to spend time not in a meditative state with them. The search for your animagus form can wait."

"Oh," said Hermione crestfallen. "I didn't think of that. But, you're right."

"Besides," said Harry. "I won't give you another present if you don't promise me you'll spend time in the evenings, at least, and weekends, with your parents in a communicative state."

"A present?" asked Hermione perking up.

"Yup," replied Harry. "And it's a biggie."

"You do realise, My Lord," she said, ominously, "that what you're doing is extortion and is a chargeable offence under United Kingdom law."

"As a Peer of the realm I'm protected from such matters and have the right to have matters heard by my Peers," responded Harry.

"That's rubbish and you know it," she shot back. "Peers are not protected from criminal prosecution and, as such, the matter would be heard in the criminal courts."

"And what you refer to as extortion, I call incentive," responded Harry. "It's my Slytherin ways manifesting themselves. I guess you could say, I can't really help it. It's a magical imperative."

Dan snorted trying not to laugh at the byplay.

"Fine!" pouted Hermione. "Have it your way then. I'll be good and not meditate so much."

"In that case," said Harry. "I'll give you, and your parents, your presents."

Harry reached into his satchel and drew out mirror #4 and mirror #7. He handed them to Hermione and the Grangers respectively.

He then explained how they worked and handed to each of them the same list of runes as he'd given to the Boneses and the Longbottoms.

"So, Dan," explained Harry. "Yours and Emma's has the little charged mini-wand, for wont of a better term, to allow you to use the device. Though you don't have the magical core to use these sort of devices normally, the wand has sufficient charge within it to allow you to use it many, many times before it needs recharging. And, to do that, all you need to do is stay within a magical field for a little while, such as Diagon Alley.

"However, I'm also expecting that once Amelia has had your home warded, you'll be able to draw the magical energy off that to recharge the wand. So, you'll never need to recharge it if you return home occasionally. But I expect you'll stay living here so it'll never be a problem."

Dan asked, "So, what you're telling me is that we'll be able to talk directly with Hermione while she's away at Hogwarts?"

"Well, yes," replied Harry. "There's no distance limit on the devices that I can conceive, there will be no delay in the signal as you would get on a telephone, and the wards surrounding Hogwarts won't block the signal, either."

Suddenly Emma shot off the couch, grabbed a fistful of Harry's shirt and dragged him out of his own chair to give him a big hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried squeezing him to her body.

Harry next felt the arms of Dan around them both. "Lad," he said with a strain to his voice. "No matter what drama you've brought to our family, nothing can compare with the gift you've given us tonight."

Not knowing his gift meant that much to the Grangers, Harry didn't know what to say, so he went with humour.

"You know this suit's Armani, right?" he said a bit embarrassed by the sudden show of affection. "This is the third time I've been manhandled today."

Dan let them go with a snort and Emma backed off only to plant a big kiss in the middle of his forehead. "I'll believe that suit's Armani if you'll believe my dress is a Vera Wang," she said smiling with tears running down her cheeks.

"I'll go make some tea," she said suddenly. And took off for the kitchen.

Everyone else returned to their chairs. Looking across at Hermione, Harry could see she, too, had been crying a little.

Harry, still embarrassed, muttered, "I actually only made them as a way you could contact me, Amelia or Augusta if you were in trouble. And the one for Hermione so she could talk to the other heirs. But, once I'd conceived the idea, I just built upon it. The idea you could also contact Hermione while she was away was pretty much an afterthought."

"It was a very, very nice afterthought, My Lord," said Dan quietly.

"Yeah, Harry," said Hermione, getting up to walk over and sit in his lap. "That was a very nice thing to do." Then she kissed him on the cheek.

Harry blushed. He blushed a lot.

"Ummm..." was all he managed to say.

Emma came back in carrying the usual tea service with four cups and saucers.

"Well, it wasn't really my idea," stammered Harry. "It was that guy from MI5 earlier today. He wanted to know if Dan had my number on speed dial, and then I remembered what could be done with mirrors, and then, wellll..."

"And then you took the idea and ran with it," said Dan. "So you did all this since you were here, earlier."

"Yeah, I picked the mirrors and other equipment up on the way back to the palace from here and spent the rest of the day building them," said Harry. "'Mione, do you mind? I'd like a cup of tea."

Hermione, reluctantly it seemed, returned to her own chair while Harry leant forward and focussed on making a cup of tea.

"I'm sorry it upset you," said Harry softly to the Grangers. "I just thought it was an easier way for everyone to be able to talk to each other without me having to run around all day checking on folks. I was being a tad lazy."

"We're not upset, Harry," said Emma. "It was just a very unexpected, but very welcome, gift."

"Harry," mused Hermione. "Would you not have given us the mirrors if I hadn't agreed to spend more time in the evening with Mum and Dad?"

"Of course, I would have," said Harry airily. "But as a true Slytherin why give you something for nothing when I could use it to get you to comply with something I wanted?"

Hermione didn't say a word. She just rose out of her chair, walked over to Harry, smacked him on the back of the head, and walked back to sit in her own chair.

"That's for tricking me!" she declared. "You're not allowed to do that, anymore."

"Awww..." faux-sulked Harry. "Now you're just taking the fun out of it."

After a bit more polite chit chat, Hermione was sent off to get changed for bed. While they waited, Harry felt Dan studying him with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Harry just sipped the last of his tea and waited.

"Harry," said Dan, and for the first time speaking to him by name, "you and Merlin watched a fair bit of the future on the other timelines, right?"

"Yes, Sir," said Harry carefully.

"In the original timeline, the one where the four of you went on to fix the issues in the wizarding world, what else happened besides that?" asked Dan.

Harry just focussed on the bottom of his cup through the remainder of the tea and said, "Lots of things, of course."

"You're being evasive, Lord Potter," said Dan.

"Perhaps it would help if you told me what, specifically, you wanted to know?"

"Okay, then," he said. "Just how close were you and our daughter?"

"What happened in that timeline is irrelevant to this one, Sir," responded Harry. "But, we were close."

Before Dan could ask his next question, Harry went on. "There are certain events I know are going to happen because the people involved, irrespective of what else is going on at the time, will still make them happen.

"For instance, I know that a red-headed boy our age named Ron Weasley, is going to come looking for us on the train. And that, once in the same compartment as us, is going to try to convince me that I should really want to go into Gryffindor House, and that those who go into Slytherin are all evil. I also know that a boy our age named Draco Malfoy will have been sent by his father to find me and try to get me to go into Slytherin, and that Ron will insult him.

"I know that Dumbledore will come across as the kindly old man who calls me 'Harry-my-boy' but, while talking to everyone else, will refer to them as Mr Weasley or Miss Granger. Another one of his little subtleties of getting me to adore him as the grandfather I never had.

"But, things that haven't been put into play, specifically, are more likely to _not_ occur than to actually occur, since I've already made such a major change to the timeline, just by getting all the heirs together and 'ringed' early. Things that happened in either of the other two timelines, unless they're major events, especially the further ahead in time from when I first visited the Prime Minister, are very unlikely to happen this time."

"Well, I'm talking about a major event," pursued Dan. "What ended up happening between you and our daughter after what you told us happened while we were all at the palace?"

Harry sat for quite a while just looking between Dan and Emma and his tea cup. He hoped for something to happen that would derail the conversation. It didn't. And both Grangers were well prepared to wait him out. He could see it in their expressions and in their eyes.

Eventually, Harry sighed and softly said, "We were married."

After what felt like an eternity to Harry, Dan spoke again.

"When?" he quietly asked.

"Sunday, 12th June 2005, at 2.00pm."

"So, Hermione was twenty five and you were twenty four," said Emma, equally quietly. "Was it a beautiful wedding?"

Harry nodded and said, "All the more so because of the beauty of the bride."

"We thought there was something more," said Emma. "The way you cut off your story, that way at the palace. The way you call Hermione, 'Mione. The way you've gone out of your way to make us happy and relaxed, far more than could be expected of you. The way you treat us like very old friends. Just all the little things you do."

"For me, as well as those points," said Dan, "it was how you knew Hermione had no friends at her public school - and don't tell me you didn't know that, how she can lose herself into a book, how she was -as you called her - an information sponge, and just tonight how you knew she had a favourite chair in which she'd sit and read."

"But, I think it was the gift of these magic mirrors you gave us tonight, that cinched it for us," continued Emma. "You knew you didn't have to do that, you knew we'd have never known it could be done, yet you also knew we'd miss our daughter very much while she was away, and that she'd miss us. So, you made it seem like what you created was an... accidental by-product. And I don't... we don't... believe for a second it was."

"While all that may be true," said Harry quietly, "and I'm not admitting for one second it is, this is still a whole new timeline. Too much has already changed between and to us four heirs, let alone any other characters, for things to turn out the same as they originally did.

"No. She is never to know. If we find ourselves becoming romantically close again, it will be because she didn't know it's what we were fated to be. She must have free agency that's not... corrupted... by the knowledge of what should have been; the right to make her own choices; the right to decide her own path. This bloody prophecy has stolen enough choice from us all. I... we... will not take that one, too."

"Harry; you're not seeing it, because you don't _want_ to see it," replied Emma with a sigh. "You already love her. We know that. It's reflected in everything you do relating to her, and everything you say to her. It's what started us thinking about and finding the clues.

"But, she's also already falling in love with you. Her hopping into your lap and cuddling, her playful slaps, and that she's willing to lose an argument to you so readily. These are not things she would do with anyone else, even her parents, or favourite uncle."

"Face it, Harry," said Dan. "You are going to be our son-in-law. And probably much earlier than 2005, this time around."

With her eyes sparkling, Emma sat up straight and, changing the subject, said, "Well. I think we've embarrassed the boy enough, Daniel. If you don't get upstairs soon, Hermione is going to come back down here looking for you both."

Setting his cup down Dan said, "Well, come on, lad." And headed for the stairs.

Harry quickly drained the cold dregs of tea from his cup and followed.

# # #

Now that he had implemented a way for all the major players involved in getting things up and running to communicate with each other, Harry felt he didn't have to spend so much time running from place to place to coordinate things.

Last night, after returning to the palace, he phoenix-flashed to Sir David's office and left him on his desk mirror #8, together with instructions on how it worked and how to use it. This morning he left mirror #10 with Michael with the same instructions. He'd have Michael hold it until he moved out, and then have Michael give it to the Queen's personal secretary.

This morning he was headed to New Scotland Yard to see Sir Anthony.

Harry disapparated under a Disillusionment Charm with his glamour on about a block and a half away from the building and, as he walked towards Broadway, he allowed the Disillusionment Charm to fade away.

Entering the building he approached the receptionist and used the same guise to be escorted by a young Woman Constable up to Sir Anthony's office.

On entering, Harry closed the door and dropped his glamour.

Sir Anthony, surprised at first at not knowing his guest, was further surprised when the young adult man in front of him suddenly changed to the boy he met at the palace.

"Damn!" exclaimed Sir Anthony. "I've never seen anything like that!"

"Just one of the things magicals can do," said Harry with a little shrug.

Reaching into his satchel he then drew out the last mirror, except for the two spares, mirror #9.

Offering it to Sir Anthony, he said, "This will allow you to contact me directly, plus the people on this list," and offered the slip of parchment with same list as he'd given the others.

He went on to explain how the device worked, and that the wand was fully charged for many, many uses. He also explained how to have it recharged.

Holding the device in his hands, Sir Anthony said, "This will make things a hell of a lot easier. And, you're saying the connection between them is secure?"

"Yes," replied Harry. "They're linked in a way no one else can intercept the signal. That's mainly because there isn't actually a signal to intercept. It has to do with what's known as the law of contagion and the theory of quantum entanglement. Physicists of today have not yet reached the stage where they know such things exist, only the theory behind it."

"Damn!" said Sir Anthony again.

Harry then asked, "Now, you wanted to see me?"

Putting the device aside, the head of the Metropolitan Police Service said, "Yes. I wanted to see if there was a way my people could deal with your witches and wizards, if they need to."

Shaking his head Harry said, "Sorry, no. Using the same sort of magics I showed you at the palace and here, wizarding folk can easily evade or escape capture by mundanes. Mundanes simply don't have the ability to hold them.

"What I recommend is that, if you strongly suspect a magical is involved in or committed a crime, you contact Madam Bones on mirror number six. Her people know what they're doing and how to deal with magicals."

"But you believe I probably have wizards and witches serving within the service?" asked Sir Anthony.

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "It's the sort of occupation magicals, who cannot find employment within the wizarding community, gravitate towards when they re-enter the mundane world. I'm in the process of working with Madam Bones to get a list of names and ages of magical folk who entered Hogwarts, graduated and have since been suspected of leaving the wizarding world. When she has it, she'll be sending a copy to Sir David."

"That would make the search that much easier," mused Sir Anthony. "It'll also make talking to them and getting them to admit they're qualified witches or wizards that much easier."

"Just be aware, Sir," said Harry, "that they won't be schooled in magical combat or policing. The two are significantly different to their mundane counterparts."

"Noted," said Sir Anthony.

"However," furthered Harry. "Once I've managed to smack around the leadership within the wizarding world, I believe Madam Bones and her Aurors will be able to play both a supporting role in your policing, and train those magicals within your own service up to Auror standard. That should then have your people knowing what to look for, and a method of dealing with magical criminals."

"Thank you, My Lord," replied Sir Anthony. "That would be a huge help."

"Is there anything else where I may be of assistance?" asked Harry.

"No," the older man replied. "You've been a great help."

"Excellent," stated Harry. "If you can think of anything else where I may be able to help, you now have a way of contacting me, direct."

Harry, changing the subject, said, "Now, Sir, I have a favour to ask."

"Oh?" replied Sir Anthony.

"I would like you to pass on to me the name of any of the magicals you manage to track down who is a qualified electrician, and another who is a qualified plumber," explained Harry. "I own a manor house about six miles northwest of Hastings down near the south coast. It doesn't have electricity nor is it connected to the water scheme. I'd like to rectify that.

"However, I also don't want them to know my name. I just need the work done quietly so no one in the magical community know where I am located. It's my safe house and I want to keep its location secret under operational security."

Sir Anthony thought on that for a moment before saying, "If we cannot find such people, I'm sure Sir David and I can figure out a way to get it done for you," he said. "And I understand the need for operational security on this."

"Thank you, Sir," replied Harry. "Then, if there's nothing else, I have an appointment elsewhere."

Sir Anthony rose and walked around his desk while Harry stood.

"Thank you, once again, My Lord," said Sir Anthony, offering his hand.

Harry took it and said, "My pleasure."

Harry then walked a little apart from the man, redonned his glamour and apparated away.

He left behind a thoroughly gobsmacked head of New Scotland Yard.

# # #

Harry appeared in Diagon Alley at the apparation point and headed down the alley towards a set of offices. Amelia had contacted him and let him know the name and address of a reputable and trustworthy solicitor. He was heading to the man's office now to make an appointment in person.

Climbing the stairs to the offices above the shop fronts he entered the door marked Tobias Oswald Doge, Solicitor. He was the younger brother of Elphias Doge who sat upon the Wizengamot.

Entering, he was greeted by a receptionist he also knew to be Doge's apprentice and paralegal.

"Good morning," he said to her. "I wonder if I may be able to have a few minutes of Mr Doge's time on a legal matter."

"Certainly, Sir," she replied. "I'll see if he can take visitors at the moment." She rose from behind her desk and, knocking once, walked in to the office off to the side.

A moment later she returned and, holding the door open, said, "Mr Doge will see you now, Sir."

Harry walked in to be greeted by a slight man with laugh wrinkles around his eyes, a ready smile, and eyes that bored into you.

"Good morning, Sir," he said, offering Harry a chair facing his desk. "How may I assist you today?"

"Your name was recommended to me, Sir," Harry began, "by a lady whom I hold in the utmost respect, who said I should secure your legal services on a matter that may bring great embarrassment to the Ministry and Wizengamot. It will be a very public issue and will, I've no doubt, garner much press and publicity. Do you feel yourself capable of such an undertaking?"

Doge looked back, obviously contemplating the matter, and said, "I would relish such an undertaking. You're no doubt aware my older brother sits upon the Wizengamot and are concerned I may be... uncomfortable... in being involved in a matter that may make _him_ uncomfortable."

"That, Sir, is a major concern, yes," replied Harry. "But there's also the matter of media attention."

"I've dealt with those carrion before, Sir," he said. "I look forward to another opportunity to... pin their feathers back."

Harry smiled. He could see this man was both no one to trifle with and obviously very confident in his own skills.

"I'm happy to hear that, Sir," said Harry. "And in that case, I need your services to ensure a man, whom I know to be innocent of a crime, is properly represented in court."

"And who might this man be?" asked Doge.

"Sirius Orion Black," replied Harry.

Doge sat back in surprise.

"As you would no doubt know he is currently residing in Azkaban prison. What you do not know, because I don't believe you would have stood for it if you did, is that he never received a trial."

"He what?" Doge exclaimed in a near bellow.

"He did _not_ receive a trial, Sir," Harry said flatly. "The then head of the DMLE, Barty Crouch Senior, under the orders of the then Minister, Millicent Bagnold, just threw him into Azkaban. There was no questioning, let alone under Veratiserum, no interviewing of witnesses, no record of evidence, not even a notice of conviction."

"That's... that's... abominable!" blurted Doge. "How dare they! It's... criminal!"

"Indeed, Sir," replied Harry. "The man deserves a trial, with Veratiserum to confirm his innocence, and I want it done as quickly as possible."

"Yes, yes," Doge sat musingly. Harry could see the man's mind already planning his case.

"Further, Sir," continued Harry. "You may find the current Head of the DMLE, Madam Amelia Bones, very... amenable... in providing the records to assist you in defending the case."

"Oh?" asked Doge. But before Harry could respond, Doge suddenly said, "Ah!" Harry could see he got it.

"It's been almost ten years since Black was locked away," said Harry firmly. "The Ministry and Wizengamot have no excuse, no excuse, for not rectifying the situation before now."

"No, Sir, they do not!" said Doge equally firmly.

"Then can I rely on you, Mr Doge, to ensure this matter is brought before the Wizengamot with all haste?" asked Harry. "And that Mr Black, or Lord Black as he should be by now since the death of his grandfather, is quickly given the trial he deserves?"

"Yes, Sir. You may," said Doge.

"In that case, Mr Doge, allow me to provide you with a retainer for your services," said Harry drawing out a stack of galleons from his satchel and placing them upon the desk. "I hope this will be suitable for now?"

"That is more than sufficient, Sir," replied Doge nodding firmly.

"For now," Harry went on, "I wish to remain anonymous in this matter. However, you may inform the presumptive Lord Black, Sirius Orion Black, that his... benefactor... is Prong's Son; and that he knows he's innocent. He'll understand."

"And if I need to contact you, Sir?" asked Doge.

"You may do so through Madam Augusta Longbottom. She will be able to contact me quite quickly. However, at the moment, I'm constantly on the move," replied Harry.

"Understood, Sir," said Doge.

"Thank you for your time, Mr Doge," said Harry rising. "And good hunting."

Also rising, and offering his hand, Doge said, "It will be my pleasure, Sir. It will be my honour to free a man unjustly imprisoned in that hell hole."

Harry shook the man's hand and quickly left.

'Okay, Sirius,' thought Harry, walking towards Gringotts. 'I hope you're ready for this.'

# # #

In Gringotts, Harry awaited a free teller. Once one became available he quickly flashed his ring and asked to speak with Account Manager Blockrig.

Once in a private interview room he waited only a few moments before Blockrig came in with the account book for the Potter accounts.

*Greetings, Blockrig,* said Harry in gobbledegook. *I trust your enemies still run in fear of your presence?*

*Those not yet suitably dealt with, yes, My Lord,* the old goblin said with a shark-like smile.

Switching to English he continued, "How may I be of service today?"

"I have retained a solicitor to assist in the release of Sirius Orion Black, Mr Tobias Oswald Doge, solicitor at law here in the Alley," said Harry. "Things are moving apace and I would like of you to create a method by which Mr Doge may be paid for his services without such payment being traced back to me."

"This can easily be done, My Lord," replied the old goblin. "We shall send a goblin from the bank to Mr Doge's offices to act as your representative in providing him payment for his services. He will not be aware of who is providing such payment."

Nodding, Harry said, "Excellent. You may also inform the Account Keeper for the Black fortune that the presumptive heir of the House of Black will soon, finally, have his day in court. I anticipate his exoneration on all charges."

"That is kind of you to allow me to do that, my Lord," said Blockrig. "We goblins may be able to add our own authority to your cause in this. It will bear some thought."

Hesitating a moment, the old goblin asked, "I mean no disrespect with my presumptuousness, My Lord; but if I may, I take it this is part of your destruction of Albus Dumbledore?"

"I don't mind you asking _any_ question of me, Blockrig. I, of course, will reserve the right to answer," replied Harry, and the old goblin acknowledged with a bow. "However, you are, indeed, correct. Albus Dumbledore was the one who cast the Fidelius Charm on the Potter cottage in Godric's Hollow. As such he knows the Secret Keeper was Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black. As such, he knows Black could not have led Voldemort to the Potter cottage.

"I believe there will be a fair number of questions asked of Dumbledore as to why he has not come forward with that information over the past nine and a half years. Information which would have meant Black would not have been incarcerated. Information which would have meant Pettigrew would not have been posthumously awarded the Order of Merlin.

"Albus Dumbledore is going to have to do a lot of legal dancing and calling in of favours to escape from this sticky situation. His reputation will have suffered its first blow."

Blockrig thought carefully on what to say next. He eventually said, "I believe I will enjoy watching the slow destruction of Albus Dumbledore. I thank you for allowing me to be a part."

"You are quite welcome, friend goblin," said Harry smiling. "And when his destruction is complete, I hope you will join me in a small glass of firewhiskey to celebrate the event."

"It would be my honour, My Lord," the goblin replied with a nasty smile.

"Now, I'd also like to set up an account in a mundane, muggle, bank under a false name - say, Harry Black - and I want to transfer about fifty thousand pounds into that account. On the account I'd also like a credit card attached to it. Can this be done?" asked Harry.

"Certainly, My Lord," replied Blockrig. "We've done this in the past for other clients. I will have the credit card and account details available for you tomorrow afternoon, if this is suitable?"

"Perfectly suitable," said Harry.

The goblin made a few notes.

"Then, until next time, Blockrig," said Harry before switching to gobbledegook. *May your vaults overflow with gold taken from your enemies; and your enemies beg for their lives as they taste the edge of your blade.*

*And may our business see much profit for us both; and our enemies be no more,* responded Blockrig, before escorting Harry back to the main floor.

# # #

After Harry left, Blockrig went up to see the Director.

Knocking on the door he was bid to enter. He waited on his feet before Director Ragnock's desk.

*Yes, Blockrig?* Ragnock asked the old goblin.

*Young Lord Potter has just been in to see me. He has began his plan to bring down wizard Dumbledore,* replied Blockrig.

*Ah!* said Ragnock. *So, the 'Bringer of Goblin Salvation' has begun his work earlier than expected. That is good news, indeed.*

*He has also asked me to convey a message to the Account Keeper of the Black accounts informing him the new Lord Black will soon be free,* said Blockrig.

*Interesting,* said Ragnock. *Is that all?*

*Yes, Director,* replied Blockrig.

*Then do it,* instructed Ragnock. *You may go.*

Blockrig bowed and left the office. He was pleased he would live to see, and be allowed to play a part in, seeing the goblin nation raised to a status equal to the human witches and wizards.

# # #

Harry then went back out through the Leaky Cauldron into mundane London to do a bit more shopping.

He bought a nice ladies broach, a girl's hair clip and a men's lapel pin. These would make excellent emergency portkeys for the Grangers. And he bought a little statue of an Irish Wolfhound for Sirius that he'd also be setting up as a portkey.

He also bought a collection of a dozen various key chains. These he'd make into portkeys for certain people to allow them to enter Potter Manor.

On returning to Diagon Alley, Harry returned to just outside the gate of Potter Manor via the apparation point as he wanted to fix the wards on the property. He worked hard to sort them out, removing ones he felt no longer applied, and replacing them with his own choices.

One of the changes he made was to remove the floo block and set it to have a new floo address installed. He made note of the address for later addition to the floo network. He also adjusted the wards so any inbound portkey he made would be able to pass through them. Any inbound portkeys that he didn't make would immediately 'bounce' the portkey users into the ocean about seven miles to the south. However, he left them open for anyone to portkey out, no matter who made it.

He then set the apparation wards to allow anyone to apparate out but only he could apparate directly into the manor, including if he had someone side-along with him. Anyone else would have to apparate to a certain point just outside of the gate to the property or find themselves also in the ocean.

Next, he set about planting runes carved into stone in a circle well outside the wards that rendered temporary Anti-Apparation and Anti-Portkey Charms ineffective. He had learned from the last war that the Death Eaters had a nasty habit of setting them up just before they attacked a building. He would not allow himself, or anyone under his care, to be so trapped if the bag guys ever came at Potter Manor.

Once he'd done that he entered the house and began the process of setting up the Grangers' emergency portkeys. They would bring them here, to the manor. He also explained what he was doing to Pixie, as he didn't want her to worry if people suddenly arrived in the parlour via portkey.

And he wanted her to make anyone who arrived by such a method welcome in his home. They would be his honoured guests.

He then dropped the portkeys for entering the manor into his satchel, to be handed out later.

And, finally, he left hundreds of Pounds in currency, so that Pixie could 'shop' for other groceries if guests did arrive. He knew that the elves actually entered the shops and removed the groceries they needed but would leave the money as payment. They actually had a pretty good grasp of the currency of the United Kingdom and knew how to pay for what they took. Most owners of house elves didn't know that.

"Okay, Pixie," said Harry, calling the little elf to him. "I have to head out again. And, again, I don't know when I'll be able to come back. In a few days I'm expecting to send someone in using a portkey. His name is Sirius, and I'm pretty sure you'll know him from when Master James and Missy Lily lived here. Please make him welcome and treat him as an honoured guest. Okay?"

"Okay, Master Harry, Sir!" replied Pixie. "Pixie like Mister Sirius. He nice."

"Thank you, Pixie," he said.

Now Sirius had a safe house and somewhere to recuperate.

# # #

Harry headed back to the palace to recuperate after a busy morning and early afternoon.

Though he was late for lunch, Michael organised an afternoon tea for him of quarter-cut sandwiches and tea.

But, before Michael left again, Harry showed him mirror #10 and how it worked.

"You can use it to contact me, if I'm needed back here at any time," explained Harry. "Once I depart for other digs, I'll ask you to hand it off to one of Her Majesty's personal staff who can hold it for Her. That way, if Her Majesty needs to see me, she'll quickly be able to contact me."

"Very good, My Lord," said Michael. "And, might I say, what a clever little invention. I only wish we mundanes had technology that could match this."

"You will, in a couple of years," replied Harry. "Mobile telephones you can carry in your pocket will become all the rage over the next few years. However, they're going to be voice only for at least the next couple of decades."

Michael took his leave, leaving the mirror communications device within the room for when he'd need it. Outside, he chuckled over the imagination of boys. 'Mobile telephones, indeed,' he thought.

Harry sat back and enjoyed his sandwiches and tea while watching some more news on the television. After sating the hunger beast he laid his head back, just thinking of what he'd accomplished and what he still had to do, when his own mirror started vibrating and buzzing.

Taking it out of his pocket and flipping it open he was met by the somewhat frazzled appearance of Amelia.

"Come to the Ossuary, now!" she half-begged, half-ordered.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes," replied Harry.

Flipping the mirror shut, he looked around to make sure he had everything he needed. With a shrug he picked up the two spare communication mirrors and stuffed them into his satchel. He flashed out of the palace directly to the path outside the Ossuary and changed back to his normal form. Looking around with wizard eyes he saw the rune that allowed the Bones Manor to be visible, activated it and walked up to the door.

He knocked on the door and, as soon as it opened, Amelia grabbed him and dragged him inside.

"You've got to talk to her and make her stop!" she pleaded.

"Make who stop what?" asked Harry, quite confused.

"Susan!" begged Amelia. "She keeps flooing and mirroring me to tell me I'm not doing my job right, that I should arrest this person or that, and other stuff. It's driving me insane!"

"Okay, Ma'am," sighed Harry. "Call her into the parlour and I'll have a talk with her."

Amelia almost ran to find Susan and send her to talk to Harry.

He should have realised, he thought. The third cube had wizarding law and the rules of logic on it. Susan was accessing her new knowledge and, because she was such a good kid, was trying to help her aunt with it.

Harry walked into the parlour and sat in one of the chairs near the fireplace.

When Susan entered the room, followed by her aunt, Harry pointed to the chair opposite his own and said, "Sit!"

Susan stood just inside the room, huffed, crossed her arms with a pout, and said, "That's not how you should address me, My Lord!"

"Susan, we're friends. Friends don't stand on formal protocols. I need to talk to you in a comfortable setting," he explained, before again pointing to the indicated seat. "Now, please, sit."

Susan walked across the room and plonked herself into the indicated chair and, once again, folded her arms and pouted.

"Thank you," said Harry patiently.

"Now, what's this I hear from your aunt about you harassing her at work?"

Susan launched into a rant about all the problems she saw with wizarding law and the injustices of it all, and about laws that had been broken by various members of the wizarding community and they should be dealt with.

Harry let her go on for a while before he held up his hand and said, "Okay, enough."

Susan's rant petered off and she glared back with her arms, once more, folded.

"I know there are problems, and I know there are people who have managed to escape justice," explained Harry. "I know what you're talking about because they're my memories, remember?"

"Yeah, I know," she said in that manner all young girls knew.

"Well, your aunt is currently doing very important work to help get my godfather out of Azkaban, she's also probably already had my godfather's lawyer already knocking on her door," explained Harry before glancing at Amelia.

Amelia nodded.

Turning back to Susan, he went on to say, "And part of that means your aunt needs to tread very carefully between the requirements of the law and keeping certain other people unaware of what's going on so that they don't try and stop her. She needs to be able to concentrate because it's not just a matter of law she has to deal with, it's also politics. Understand?"

Susan grudgingly nodded.

"Plus, your aunt is trying to ensure Dumbledore, her previous boss and the previous Minister don't skate away free from the charges that'll be filed against them for their part in my godfather's incarceration. The resulting political storm that is about to descend upon the wizarding world, and the embarrassment it'll cause to the Ministry and the Wizengamot, will need to be handled very carefully. Understand?"

Again, Susan grudgingly nodded.

"Good. Because you're currently distracting your aunt from being able to do her job to the best of her ability, while also avoiding allowing anyone to escape being fingered for the crimes actually committed. We need you to stop distracting her."

"But there's just so much wrong that needs to be fixed!" Susan shot back.

"I know," replied Harry. "And all four of us are going to fix them, just not now."

"So, I'm just supposed to keep my mouth shut until then?" she demanded.

"No," Harry patiently answered. "Instead, what I want you to do is go through that knowledge of the law you now have; get a stack of parchment, a couple of quills and some ink; and start making a list of what needs to be changed. Use the rules of logic that you also received last night to put them in some semblance of order that we can deal with when we have the opportunity to do so.

"If you need to talk to someone about it, mirror Hermione and Neville. They have the same knowledge, remember? And you can bounce ideas off each other."

"Yeah, I guess," replied a much subdued Susan.

"Good. And if you promise me, now, you won't bother your aunt unless it's an actual emergency - because I know she doesn't mind you contacting her for that - then I'll tell you something you can learn that's really fun," said Harry, baiting the hook.

"Fun?" asked Susan, now quite interested.

"Uh-hmm," said Harry.

"Okay, okay! I promise!" said Susan in that rolling-the-eyes manner young girls had the world over.

"Good. And I'm going to hold you to that," he said.

Then, leaning back, he asked her, "You remember at the palace how I changed into my animagus form?"

"Yeah..." she said carefully.

"Well, you can learn to do that to," he said brightly.

"I can?" she asked, perking up. "How?"

"All it takes to learn what form your animagus will take is to meditate on it," he explained. "You need to go into a meditative state and let your mind run free and seek it. Merlin will help.

"However, it can take some time. You may or may not discover it before we go to Hogwarts, and it doesn't mean anything if you discover it sooner or later. Each person is different.

"However," Harry said, leaning forward again and holding up a finger, "don't let me hear you've also spent too long meditating at one time and haven't looked after yourself by not eating or caring for yourself. Okay?"

"Okay, Harry," Susan answered with a bit of eagerness.

"Thank you," said Harry with graciousness. "Now I need to talk with your aunt."

"Okay, bye!" said Susan hurrying out of the room.

Amelia then came forward from where she was standing over by the door and sat in the chair just vacated by her niece.

She sighed and said, "Thank you."

Harry chuckled and said, "You're welcome, Ma'am. I had a similar issue with Hermione yesterday about mundane law. She went off at the specialists from MI5 about building code violations and breaches of privacy and a few others while they were trying to install the mundane security systems into the Granger house."

Amelia lightly laughed and said, "I bet that must have been fun for them."

Harry grinned back and said, "These are highly trained men who go into highly dangerous situations, and are trained to deal with things that go bump in the night that normal folks don't want to know about and would give them nightmares if they did. She had them absolutely cowering.

"Think of someone like Alistor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt cringing and pleading to you, 'Please, Ma'am; make her stop!'" he explained.

Amelia couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

"Now, as the Head of the DMLE, I think you should know what sort of man Dan Granger is. And I hope you'll keep what I tell you in the strictest confidence," said Harry.

Amelia had calmed down and nodded in response.

"Dan was... is again, now.. a member of a very elite force of men in Her Majesty's British Army called the SAS. It stands for Special Air Service. Even more, he's a high ranking officer in that service," he explained. "The SAS are normally tasked with dealing with situations where the normal army or the police are ill-equipped or trained to handle.

"They are often inserted deep into hostile territory behind enemy lines. Once there they are like black ghosts. They move through the enemy leaving death and destruction behind them. More often than not whole units will be taken out by them and barely a sound will indicate their presence, if any at all. And it is very rare that one of their own numbers will be lost in the process.

"They are also the go-to men in hostage situations. They know how to get in, free the hostages and kill all the bad guys with as minimal a loss to life, except the bad guys, as possible. They will do all that calmly, efficiently and expeditiously. They are _that_ good.

"However, even Dan was frazzled when Hermione went on her rant at the MI5 boys. When I turned up there on a hunch yesterday afternoon, Dan grabbed me before I could even give the password - just as you did today - pinned me up against the wall, and barked at me, 'You broke it, you fix it', before flinging me into their lounge room."

Amelia just about roared with laughter.

Harry waited until she'd calmed down a bit and said, "For grown adult men, pre-teen girls on a rant are the most terrifying of things. No one has ever taught them how to deal with them. They'd rather face in battle a highly trained squad of enemy than face off against an angry little girl."

Amelia couldn't help it. As Harry talked she just laughed harder and harder. By the time she managed to get herself back under control she had a ruddy complexion and tears running down her cheeks.

"Now," said Harry gleefully, "think about what's going to happen when Susan and Hermione - armed with the extensive and intensive knowledge they'll have of law, traditions, strategy, politics and diplomacy - get together on the Wizengamot, and tag team those old men who are nothing more than arrogant, overweening cretins who think they know, and are above, the law. Those two girls are going to send them whimpering for their mummies. And, if the old fools try and insult them or belittle them, they'll have Neville and me - armed with masteries in wandless and wand magic, duelling expertise, strategy, tactics and traditions - to call them onto the duelling piste for their arrogance, insufferability and insulting behaviour."

"Oh, Merlin!" exclaimed Amelia, still calming down from laughing so hard. "They don't stand a chance!"

"That's the whole idea, Ma'am," Harry quietly responded. "As best as Merlin and I could do in the time we had, all four of us will be as much an unopposable and unassailable force, as we could make it. I intend for us four to save the wizarding world in Britain, Ma'am. Whether the wizarding world likes it or not."

"And I'm going to be there watching it happen," said Amelia with wonder.

"Mmmm. Changing the subject," said Harry. "I take it Mr Doge has already been in to see you?"

Sitting up straighter and leaning forward, Amelia replied, "Yes. He was in my office just before I had to come back here. That man is positively relishing the idea of giving his brother a legal black eye, and making life interesting for the other members of the Wizengamot and the Ministry."

Harry nodded and said, "We'll need to prepare Madam Longbottom to keep going after the issue of why Dumbles didn't speak up about who the real Secret Keeper was these past nine and a half years. The more she can do that, the more she can keep him on his toes, the less time he has to worry about... other matters."

"Gus... Madam Longbottom... knows her role only too well," she replied.

Harry nodded and said, "I really didn't expect any less of her. I don't expect anyone to be charged over the matter, except maybe Millicent Bagnold and Barty Crouch Senior if we're lucky. But, as long as Dumbles is off balance and he receives a black mark in the papers against his name, that should give you the opening to get Aurors into Hogwarts when we call for them. Dumbles won't be able to oppose it."

"You really want to destroy the man, don't you?" she asked.

"It's the only way, Ma'am," he replied. "We've _got_ to get the people to lose complete faith in him, to get them to stop blindly following him."

"Yes, well," she said changing the subject again and preparing to rise. "I've got to get back to work if I'm to get everything else sorted out before your godfather's trial."

Harry rose and asked, "Any idea when that's likely to be?"

"The way things are moving, either tomorrow afternoon or the next morning," she answered.

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry sincerely. "This means the world to me."

# # #

Returning back to the palace, Harry sighed and relaxed back on the couch in his quarters. He wondered what the next mini-catastrophe was going to be that bites him on the butt.

He mentally reviewed the next few cubes to see if they triggered the sort of behaviour he now had from, first Hermione yesterday, and now Susan today. Traditions, ceremonies, courtly behaviour, ethics and morality tonight. Then three days of the sciences and medicine. There shouldn't be anything there that'll cause a similar reaction in any of the other three.

Sighing, he thought he might be able to enjoy a day of leisure tomorrow if Sirius's trial was the next morning.

After an evening meal from the palace kitchens alone in his suite, Harry thought to take a stroll outside. To save returning to his suite he took his ever-present satchel with him.

Once more donning his glamour, this time in a more relaxed dress of a polo shirt and light slacks with casual dress shoes, and his satchel looking like a tourist's bag, Harry flashed over to St James Park. Walking out from amongst the trees he just strolled along the walking trail path, as did many Londoners, enjoying the summer weather.

Later in the evening he visited the other Heirs and gave them the next cube.

Once more stopping with the Grangers he gave them the emergency portkeys that would take them straight to Potter Manor.

"They're the ultimate safe room," said Harry. "You just grip it in either hand and say, 'Activate!' It'll take you straight there depositing you in the parlour. Once there, you'll be behind the strongest wards I could devise.

"However, its only one-way. Once you go, you can't be brought back using the same item. And you can contact me on the mirrors to let me know you've had to use them. You'll get a rough ride and it means sacrificing your home, temporarily at least, until an attack is repelled. But you'll be safe.

"I haven't told anyone else you have them, not even Madam Bones, who should be coming around soon to set up the magical wards for this place.

"In the meantime, you can handle them to put them on and take them off. Just don't think of the activation phrase while you're handling them."

"This is amazing," said Emma, looking down at the brooch in her hand. Handling it gently, she pinned it to her blouse above her left breast where she could easily grab it with her right hand.

Dan already had his pin adorning his left lapel, and Hermione had her hair clip in her hair.

"Well, you're now safe so long as you have a couple of seconds warning," explained Harry. "Once Madam Bones sets up her wards, you'll definitely have at least that much time."

Emma stepped forward and, holding Harry's cheeks between her hands, leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "You're a good boy, Harry," she said.

# # #

Albus Dumbledore had awoken that morning to a normal day. The letters to those students who were not muggle born and raised were about to start going out. And Hogwarts' owls were all given a clean bill of health by owl experts from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, so they were all healthy and ready to start delivering the Hogwarts letters.

He already had the Philosopher's Stone from Nicholas Flamel and it was now in his vault at Gringotts. He'd arrange to have it brought to Hogwarts later in the month.

His staff had all already provided him with the curricula for the coming year, and he had signed off on them all, barely even bothering to go over them.

Then, suddenly, that afternoon he had a floo call from that idiot, Fudge, demanding he, the great Albus Dumbledore, see him in his office the next morning; as if he was some common wizard or one of his lackeys.

According to Fudge, someone had discovered Sirius Black had not received a trial before being sent to Azkaban and demanded an immediate trial for the man to rectify the error.

Dumbledore began to make his plans to ensure Black was found guilty and sent straight back there. If he played it right he might even manage to get Black immediately kissed by the dementors. Bribes would need to be paid and favours called in.

# # #


	11. Sirius's Good Day

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Eleven - Sirius's Day

Late the next morning, Thursday, Harry received word via mirror from Amelia that Mister Doge had been busy. He'd paid for a major advertisement, together with an article, that appeared in that morning's copy of the _Daily Prophet_. It provided details, at length, of how Sirius never received a trial, how he was the presumptive Heir of, perhaps the largest, pure blood family in wizarding Britain, and how the Wizengamot and the Ministry had more than enough time to send him to the trial he should have had.

Harry headed straight for Diagon Alley to collect a copy of the _Prophet_ for himself. He took it to the Leaky Cauldron and, sitting down, enjoyed reading both the advertisement and the article over a cup of tea.

The whole matter was the main talk, if not the only talk, up and down the Alley. Journalists were portkeying in from across Europe and from as far afield as the Americas and Africa. There were already as many journalists in the Alley as there were shopkeepers and shoppers combined. Tobias O. Doge was having an absolute field day holding court and regaling journalists with the injustice of it all.

Seeing the size of the media contingent, Harry feared he'd not be able to get in to see the trial for himself. He mirrored Augusta and asked her to arrange a reserved seat for him. He would be attending under the guise of a freelance journalist, not his normal glamour, and he gave Augusta the name 'Joe White' to use.

The trial, though originally scheduled for the next morning, was re-scheduled for that night on the Minister's orders. The Minister claimed he would not allow just one more day to pass before justice was rightfully served. He had also ordered the court room in which the trial was to be held, enlarged to accommodate as many members of the press and public as they could fit in.

Obviously, the Minister was attempting to make the best of a bad situation. If he could, he would try and curry favour of the public through the press.

That made Harry chuckle.

As he had expected, the Minister and the Wizengamot wanted the matter done with. They did not want yet another copy of the _Daily Prophet_ slamming the actions of either before it could be resolved.

'Good,' he thought. 'The less time the Minister and others had in building a case against Sirius, the better.'

He already knew Doge had everything he needed to win the case. Though she was supposed to be trying the case, Amelia also had her arguments prepared to aid Doge in the matter. And she and Augusta had spent quite some time going over their strategy for seeing Sirius freed.

# # #

Dumbledore was furious. No matter how much he paid in bribes to those idiots on the Wizengamot, and the Minister himself, he was being frustrated at just about every turn.

That morning Fudge demanded he, yet again, come straight to his office.

As soon as he'd stepped through the floo Fudge rounded on him immediately.

"Have you see this?" demanded Fudge, waving a copy of that morning's _Daily Prophet_.

"Of course I've seen it," said Dumbledore calmly, even though he had not. He didn't expect media coverage to occur quite so quickly. This would make it even more difficult to line the pockets of those he knew he could bribe.

"I've already been forced to move the trial from tomorrow morning to tonight!" bellowed the Minister. "I need this ended! This bad press coverage is causing great harm to my plans for re-election, and I won't have it!"

"Calm down, Minister," soothed Dumbledore. "This is the fault of your predecessor, not you. You just need to hold true to ensuring Black is sent back to Azkaban and you'll come out of this as a 'just' Minister. The people will adore you for it."

The Minister grumbled about it but he couldn't fault Dumbledore's logic. If he played it right he'd come out a hero to the people.

"Now," said Dumbledore, "since I'm already here I have people I need to see. So, I'll take my leave."

Without given leave, Dumbledore left the Minister's office in search of those he needed to bribe. He'd brought with him his secret stash of galleons from the Potter boy's vault to make sure the right hands were well and truly greased.

# # #

By late afternoon, early evening, Harry had tried to get in to see Tobias Doge in private, but that was just not possible.

He heard a rumour that Doge had disappeared into the Ministry and was, at that very moment, down in the holding cells talking with his client. He had tried to contact Amelia via mirror but, when she answered, she just said, 'Not now!' and terminated the connection.

He also found out the entire membership of the Wizengamot, except for Dumbledore, was in lockdown where they each found a sanctuary, as they'd all been harassed by the press and interested citizens in trying to find out more information.

Unusually, an evening edition of the _Prophet_, called the _Evening Prophet_, was released. Such a thing only ever occurred on matters of great importance to the wizarding world, not a simple trial.

This time there were no advertisements or paid stories appearing from Doge. They were almost all concerning the imminent trial of one Sirius Orion Black. Many of the articles claimed 'unnamed sources' and 'sources who did not want to be named'. And many were based on letters the _Prophet_ had received via owl post from the populace with most decrying the Minister, the Ministry and the Wizengamot for not giving Black a fair trial. Some, however, came out in support of the then Minister and Head of the DMLE for not wasting the court's time for a trial as 'everyone knew he was guilty'.

# # #

Dumbledore was quite livid. As soon as he left the Minister's office he was besieged by members of the press, both local and international, demanding answers to their questions. He could barely move, due to the crush of bodies around him.

"Out of my way!" he bellowed. "I have important business to conduct!"

But the press just howled louder.

"As the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, our readers want to know how it is possible for this to happen?" he heard.

"Our readers are frightened they may be the next to be thrown in to Azkaban without the right to defend themselves. What assurances can you give them they won't be?" came from another.

"Why wasn't Black questioned about the details of other Death Eaters before he was thrown into Azkaban?" yet another called out.

Frustrated at every turn, he fled the building back to Hogwarts. He needed to get to the other members of the Wizengamot before the trial. But, he couldn't get through to them.

He tried to contact them through the floo network but his calls went unanswered; or were answered only by their underlings who, also, could not get through to their bosses.

'There has to be a way!' he thought.

In anger he hurled a book across the office, smashing a couple of his little monitoring charmed items. He did not even see the official document from the courts that had been left by owl on his desk but was partly obscured under other parchments.

# # #

Returning from the Alley where he wandered around for a while, Harry was back at the Leaky Cauldron and trying to enjoy an evening meal before the trial. However, quite a number of the members of the press were trying to do the same thing. And his stomach felt as if it was tied in knots.

Instead, he patiently waited using shallow meditation techniques.

While in the Alley he had been approached no less than five times by journalists who wanted to know his views on the trial. As Harry was still under his glamour and didn't want anyone to know he was there, he simply gave the comment, "I really don't have any views on the trial. I'm only very concerned that our citizens can be hauled off to Azkaban so unjustly."

When asked for his details he said, "I don't want to be threatened for my views, so I don't want you printing that."

Then would say, conspiratorially, "There are suspected Death Eaters on the Wizengamot who might try to do me harm, if they find out who I am."

'Why throw one cat amongst the pigeons when you could almost as easily throw half a dozen?' he thought with a quiet chuckle.

Many of the shops had closed up early for the day. One even had a small sign in the window that read, 'Closed due to being hounded by the press.' A photographer was outside it taking a photograph of the sign.

# # #

About half an hour before the trial was due to start, Harry ducked in to a quiet spot out of sight and altered his glamour to someone indistinguishable but looking like a journalist.

Then he used the public floo to cross to the atrium in the Wizengamot where he joined hundreds of others. The work day was hours past but the place was still very busy.

Going up to the security gate he gave his name as Joe White and that he was a VIP guest of Madam Augusta Longbottom.

Considering a long list before him, the guard said, "Yes, Sir. May I have your wand, please?"

"Knowing it would likely be confiscated. I did not bring it," replied Harry.

The guard then stepped around his podium and waved a wand around Harry. Satisfied, the guard said, "No wand, but I notice you have a couple of minor magical items in your bag."

"Oh, of course," said Harry, and he held up his bag for inspection.

The guard searched Harry's satchel but, not finding any item he thought of as being offensive weaponry, he handed it back to Harry.

"Thank you for your patience, Sir," the guard said and let Harry through the checkpoint.

As he stepped through he was asked if he was attending the trial by another Ministry employee. Nodding in the affirmative, the employee gave him directions to the courtroom.

On entering through the public entry doors of the enlarged room, he was asked for his details. Giving his name as Joe White, he was immediately guided to a seat one row back from the front in the Visitor's Gallery.

A journalist sitting alongside him asked with a slightly French accent, "Which paper are you from?"

"I'm a freelancer," replied Harry. "I'm currently here for the _The Quibbler_."

The journalist looked back in surprise and asked, "That rag? I thought it only covered nonsense."

"Everybody wants an article for their paper on this story," replied Harry with a smile.

Harry could see the man now thought of him as 'no one of importance', so had turned to the person on his other side. Harry was left alone, as he preferred.

Having dismissed the man he looked out across the floor with its chair with chains already sitting in the middle. Then right across the floor to where the entire Wizengamot would be sitting. There was no one there, yet.

He also knew there were five elaborate chairs currently hiding under the floor outside of detection directly underneath the back row and in the middle of the Wizengamot seats. Directly under where Madam Bones would be sitting as she tried the case.

Looking back down at the chained chair he could also see the wooden disk in the floor that hid the little pedestal and orb with the blood print for the right hand upon it. He and the other three Heirs would be using that to show their authority upon the Wizengamot, and make their oaths. He wondered how long it had been since it was last used. He doubted anyone on the current Wizengamot had ever given their oath before taking their seat, nor even knew the existence of the podium or the five chairs.

The noise inside the courtroom was quite loud as journalists and guests talked amongst themselves. Harry hardly noticed. He was deep in thought.

# # #

Dumbledore was close to mental exhaustion with the amount of concentration and thought he had put into finding a way of getting to certain members of the Wizengamot.

He had discovered nothing. His only option was to get them when they were all together before they entered the courtroom.

Suddenly, the fireplace erupted with the message informing him his presence was immediately required in the Wizengamot antechamber to hear the case of Sirius Orion Black.

He quickly jumped through.

As he arrived he tried to get the attention of the others he needed to bribe but, as soon as they arrived, they were all called immediately to the courtroom. He had no opportunity to talk to anyone. Except to say, 'Good evening.'

Damn them! His efforts were being blocked at every step, and he didn't even know who was doing it.

# # #

While in the midst of reviewing what he needed to do over the coming days with his head bowed, and what he'd already ticked off his mental to-do list, Harry brought himself out of his contemplative state when the room suddenly hushed.

Looking up, he saw a functionary of the Wizengamot walk out onto the floor.

"Hear ye!" the young man called with a bit of a tremulous voice. "This emergency session of the Wizengamot has been called to hear the case of wizarding Britain versus Sirius Orion Black, relating to events that occurred on the night of 31st October 1981, and the days surrounding it, in the village of Godric's Hollow! Please stand and be silent!"

As the young man walked away between the public gallery and the Wizengamot seats, the full Wizengamot entered the chamber and took their seats.

Harry noticed both Amelia and Augusta had stacks of files tucked under their arms. And it also appeared only one member was missing.

He also had his first opportunity to see Dumbledore in the flesh as the old man took his seat in the senior chair of the warlock section. He didn't look happy. And Harry couldn't have been happier to see it.

He was surprised, however, to see the Minister was quite calm and smiling. The Minister even took the opportunity to wave to those gathered in the visitor section. A couple of photographers took photos before they were immediately ordered to stop or have their cameras confiscated.

'Hmm, interesting,' thought Harry.

As the members settled into place, Amelia's voice was heard clearly through magical amplification. "The Wizengamot has been summoned to emergency session to hear the case of wizarding Britain versus Sirius Orion Black, relating to events that occurred on the night of 31st October 1981, and the days surrounding it, in the village of Godric's Hollow. Excused from attending is Lord Mulciber, who has taken ill and is currently under protected care at St Mungo's.

"Bring in the accused!" she called.

Before Sirius could be brought into the room Dumbledore rose and said, "Madam Bones, I cannot..."

Riding over the top of him, Amelia said, "Chief Warlock Dumbledore, you will have opportunity to speak in due course. Please be seated and hold your tongue!"

Harry heard mutters of surprise erupting around him.

Again, speaking out loud, Amelia said, "Those in the gallery will remain silent or they will be evicted from these proceedings!"

Immediately, silence descended.

Escorted by four Aurors and Tobias Doge, also carrying a stack of parchments, Sirius was brought into the chamber in chains. And was told to sit in the chair. Sirius looked around the room, clearly looking for someone. Harry suspected it was he.

To Harry, Sirius looked haggard and ill. But his eyes were alert and the expression on his face was alive with a mix of curiosity, satisfaction and... smugness.

Before anyone else could say anything, Tobias said, "Madam Bones, I must protest. Mister Black has not been found guilty of any crime and yet he is treated as a criminal by being chained like a beast!"

"Your protest is noted, Mister Doge," she intoned. "However, as Mister Black has been incarcerated almost ten years before being brought to trial, we fear harm to his mental state. To protect him and those around him, we would have him remained secured for now for everyone's safety including his own."

At first, Harry was annoyed they'd leave him chained. But he quickly worked out that Sirius could not be thought a threat if he was chained. No one could suddenly hit him with a curse if it was proven he could not harm anyone.

"Very well," Mister Doge huffed. "Mister Tobias Oswald Doge, solicitor at law, standing for the accused, Ma'am!"

A tall somewhat-elderly man standing off to the side stepped towards the centre of the room and, looking up at Amelia, said, "Master Auror Rufus Scrimgeour standing for the prosecution, Ma'am!"

Harry wondered how much of this was staged. He guessed pretty much all of it was, so far. The comment from Tobias of 'not been found guilty of any charge' and Amelia's 'before being brought to trial' were nice touches.

Looking sternly down upon Sirius, Amelia said, "Sirius Orion Black. You are charged with twelve counts of murder of various muggles, the murder of Peter Pettigrew, conspiracy to commit murder in the murders of James Charlus Potter and Lily Evans-Potter, conspiracy to commit murder in the attempted murder of Harry James Potter, and being a member of the unlawful organisation known as Death Eaters. How do you plead?"

Harry was a little startled to hear his name mentioned across the floor like that.

Sirius straightened himself up in his chair, chains and all, and said clearly and firmly, "Not guilty of all charges!"

Even louder mutters of surprise erupting around Harry than before.

"_Silence!_" bellowed Amelia.

'Wow!' thought Harry. 'She's a scary woman, when she wants to be.'

"Aurors!" called Amelia, looking across at the Aurors who were standing at each end of the visitor's gallery. "You are to silence and _immediately remove_ anyone within the visitor's gallery who interrupts the rest of this session!"

Once she had complete silence and control of the courtroom once again, she looked down at the Rufus Scrimgeour and said, "Very well, Master Scrimgeour, you may start your prosecution."

What followed was Scrimgeour presenting evidence of various witnesses of the event, especially from the only living Auror left who heard Sirius say he'd killed James and Lily.

In response Doge brought in an expert from St Mungo's hospital who had experience with guilt trauma.

Scrimgeour gave a believable account of what he believed happened that night. And Doge tore a lot of it apart.

Arguments and evidence flew back and forth.

Then Scrimgeour said, "I believe I have proven all charges. I now rest my case."

'Proven, my butt,' thought Harry.

"Mister Doge," called Amelia. 'You may now start your defence!"

Then came the first very surprising twist.

"Madam," he intoned. "I would have, at this time, called Mister Harry James Potter as my first witness. However, he has not responded to the summons from your office. I would know why."

Harry was shocked to hear that. He didn't expect to hear his own name called to the defence. He suspected his cover was blown.

Sitting back in what looked like feigned surprise, Amelia then got the attention of one of the Aurors on the floor.

"Find out what happened to it," she commanded the young woman.

The young woman bobbed her head and quickly left the room.

'What are they playing at?' wondered Harry.

"In the meantime, Mister Doge," said Amelia. "Perhaps you could move on to the next piece of evidence?"

"Certainly, Madam," he said. "While Mister Potter's testimony may not _not_ have helped my defence of Mister Black, he may have shed light on certain events of that night."

Tobias then had his next two witnesses brought in, Millicent Bagnold and Barty Crouch Snr. Both denied the allegations of that night; and both were dosed with Veritaserum. And the truth was discovered about how Sirius was sent to Azkaban without a trial. Both were led away to cells to have charges laid against both of them after Sirius's trial.

As they each admitted their complicity under Veritaserum a couple of journalists or others had to be led from the gallery, magically bound and gagged by Aurors.

Other journalists were scribbling madly with quills on parchments or had auto-quills running full tilt.

During Barty Crouch Snr's interrogation, and the suppressing of the eruption of noise from the **visitors' gallery**, the young woman Auror returned to the room and, ascending the stairs to the top of the Wizengamot seats, made her way to Amelia's side. She handed Amelia a slip of parchment and whispered in her ear before departing.

After Crouch's ignominious departure and silence had, once more, descended upon the courtroom, Amelia looked down at Tobias and said, "You have further evidence to present, Sir?"

"Certainly, Madam," stated Tobias firmly. "At this time I call Sirius Orion Black to the stand."

"He may give evidence from where he is," replied Amelia. "Mister Black, you are aware you may be given Veritaserum?"

"Yes, Madam," replied Sirius. "I welcome it."

Looking surprised, though Harry knew she wasn't, Amelia said, "Very well. Master Scrimgeour, you may proceed."

Scrimgeour stepped forward and Sirius tilted his head back and stuck out his tongue. Scrimgeour dripped three large drops onto Sirius's tongue and stepped back.

After a few moments, he nodded to Amelia.

Tobias then stepped forward and asked, "What is your name?"

"Sirius Orion Black," said Sirius in a whimsical voice.

"Were you friends of James Charlus Potter and Lily Evans-Potter?"

"Yes."

"Was a Fidelius Charm cast upon their home at Godric's Hollow before the night of 31st October 1981?"

"Yes."

"Was that Fidelius Charm still active as of the night of 31st October 1981?"

"Yes."

"Who cast the Fidelius Charm?"

Dumbledore suddenly jumped to his feet and bellowed, "I object to this line of questioning. I fail to see..."

No one could hear Sirius's response.

Again riding over the top of him, Amelia said, "Chief Warlock Dumbledore, I have already told you, you will have opportunity to speak in due course. Be seated and hold your tongue!"

"I will not be..." tried Dumbledore again.

Yet again riding over the top of him, Amelia bellowed back, "_Silence!_"

Once Amelia regained control of the room yet again, she looked down at Tobias and said, "You may continue, Mister Doge."

Nodding towards Amelia, Dog then turned back to Sirius and said, "Again, Mister Black; who cast the Fidelius Charm?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

"Were you the Secret Keeper?"

"No."

"Do you know who the Secret Keeper was?"

"Yes, Peter Pettigrew."

Harry heard a couple more murmurs from the assembled guests and journalists in the visitor's gallery, but it was not enough to see yet more people evicted.

"Did you betray the Potters by bringing the Death Eaters to their cottage in Godric's Hollow?" continued Tobias.

"No."

"Did you kill Peter Pettigrew?"

"No."

Harry heard yet more murmurs from the assembled, but it still wasn't enough to see yet more people evicted.

"Did you kill the muggles of which you have been accused?" continued Tobias.

"No."

"Do you know who did?"

"Yes, Peter Pettigrew."

Tobias paused for a bit, looking for all the world like he was thinking. Harry didn't believe it for a minute. He knew the man was using theatrics.

"Do you know what happened to Peter Pettigrew when you last saw him in that street where the muggles were killed?" he continued.

"Yes."

"What happened to him?"

"He changed into his animagus form of a rat and disappeared down the sewers."

"And what of his finger found at the scene?"

"He cut it off with a knife he had on himself before changing into his animagus form of a rat and disappearing down the sewers."

"Mister Pettigrew was not registered as an animagus with the Ministry. Do you know why?"

"He didn't want anyone to know and wanted to keep it a secret."

Tobias then turned towards Amelia and said, "I have no further questions of this witness at this time, Madam."

"Very well," said Amelia. Turning to Scrimgeour, she asked, "Do you have any questions of the accused, Master Scrimgeour?"

"No, Madam; I do not," the Master Auror replied.

"Very well, Master Scrimgeour. You may give the antidote," she said. Turning toward Dumbledore she then said, "Chief Warlock Dumbledore, you will take the stand."

"_What?_" spluttered Dumbledore. "I will not!"

There were noises in both amongst the Wizengamot and the visitor's gallery.

"_Silence!_" bellowed Amelia again.

When she once more had silence, she again turned to Dumbles and firmly stated, "Chief Warlock Dumbledore, you will take the stand _or I will have you dragged there!_"

Dumbledore huffed and spluttered but still rose to his feet.

More, but softer, murmurs were heard while Dumbledore tried to look as dignified as possible. He slowly stepped down and approached the stand.

Sitting, he glared back up at Amelia and grouched, "Well, I'm here!"

"Chief Warlock Dumbledore," intoned Amelia with a glare of her own. "You will explain to this gathering why the summons for Mister Harry James Potter is currently sitting on your desk in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts."

"_What?_" spluttered Dumbledore again. "I don't know what you mean."

"Chief Warlock," said Amelia. "My office places tracking charms on all summons to ensure the people who are supposed to receive them, _actually_ receive them! You will explain how it has come to be in your possession!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Amelia," said Dumbledore. "I assure you..."

Again, riding over the top of him, Amelia said, "Chief Warlock Dumbledore, we are _not_ interested in your assurances. We are interested in the _facts_. If you do not provide us the information we need, we will send Aurors to your office in Hogwarts. They will locate the summons meant for young Mister Potter, and they will return with it here.

"Now, are you intercepting mail meant for Harry James Potter?"

"What?" spluttered Dumbledore yet again. "Now see here, Amelia, I will not..."

Again, riding over the top of him, Amelia said, "You will _answer the question_, Mister Dumbledore; or I will have you declared a hostile witness, and have Master Scrimgeour dose you with Veritaserum by force. We will have our answers!"

Still spluttering and grumbling Dumbledore said, "Very well!"

"Good!" said Amelia. "Now, are you intercepting mail meant for Harry James Potter?"

"Yes," grumbled Dumbledore. "But, I'm his magical guardian and I need to check it for items that may harm him!"

"Are your forwarding any of it on to him?"

"I need to check all his mail..." said Dumbledore, before he was again interrupted by Amelia.

"That was not my question, Mister Dumbledore," Amelia bored on. "Are your forwarding any of Harry James Potter's mail on to him?"

"As I said, I need to check..." said Dumbledore before he was yet again interrupted by Amelia.

"_Master_ Scrimgeour, you..." began Amelia

"_No! Wait!_" shouted Dumbledore. "I'll answer your questions!"

"Then, _again_; are your forwarding any of Harry James Potter's mail on to him?"

"No."

"So, Harry James Potter has _not _received any of the mail _ever_ sent to him from people within the magical community since the events that happened on 31st October 1981?"

"No."

Once again, both sides of the chamber were rocked with the shock of the people, both in the visitor's gallery and the Wizengamot itself.

"_Silence!_" bellowed Amelia for a third time.

When she once more had silence she again turned to Dumbledore, "_Where_ is Harry James Potter's mail?"

"As I said, I need..." said Dumbledore.

"_Master_ Scrimgeour,..." began Amelia

"_No!_" shouted Dumbledore, before he grumbled, "I sent any gifts sent to Harry to the orphanages throughout Britain!"

"And the rest of the mail?" demanded Amelia.

"I did not have the time to go through it, so I burned it," grumbled Dumbledore.

Yet again, both sides of the chamber were rocked with the shock of the people, both in the visitor's gallery and the Wizengamot itself.

"_Silence!_" bellowed Amelia yet again.

"Albus Dumbledore, at the conclusion of the business currently before us, you will be taken away and charged with _mail tampering_," snarled Amelia. "I have no doubt members of the press, present here in the visitor's gallery this evening; will be reporting far and wide what you have admitted to, this evening.

"I, for one, will be filing my own complaint against you, on behalf of my niece, who I _know_ has been sending Mister Potter a small gift and a card on each of his birthdays. She has continued to do this every year since she was five years old, and she is now _ten_! She has done this, even though she has never received a letter in return from Mister Potter. I expect my office will be flooded by others also coming in to file their _own_ complaints!

"It is now quite clear that the reason Mister Potter has not sent her, _or anyone else_, a return letter or a thank you note, is because you have been intercepting them and he has no idea what you have been doing. Those of us who have thought ill of young Mister Harry James Potter for his... rudeness... owe him _an apology_!

"Further, we wonder what Mister Potter must think of us all, considering he and his parents are responsible for saving the wizarding world, and he has _never_ received one letter or message of thanks for the _sacrifice_ of him and his family!"

Letting her temper subside while angry murmurs swirled about within the gallery and the Wizengamot seats, Amelia also knew Harry was there, in the gallery, listening to it all.

Harry was focussed on Amelia while the woman had her eyes closed. When she opened them Harry saw her look across towards him in the visitor's gallery. He saw her count off the seats and, when she reached him, her eyes locked with his.

Harry smiled back and winked. He saw the corner of her lip twitch a little in response.

Gathering her notes, Amelia again went on the attack.

"However, there is another matter before us this day. That is the trial of Sirius Orion Black," she said. "The second reason you are now sitting before us is to confirm something Mister Black said while under the effects of Veritaserum.

"Mister Dumbledore, did you cast the Fidelius Charm on the cottage where the Potters were staying shortly before the events of the night of 31st October 1981?"

"Yes."

"Who did you make the Secret Keeper?"

Another round of murmurs were heard as those listening in suddenly realised the reason for the questioning.

"Peter Pettigrew," grumbled Dumbledore.

"Why was it not Sirius Black?"

"Black begged the Potters at the last minute not to use him, because he believed everyone _knew_ he was their best friend and that everyone would believe he was the Secret Keeper."

"Did you agree with this?"

"Yes."

Amelia's voice dropped to a low growl, "Since you knew, and have known, Sirius Black was not the Secret Keeper, and you knew the Secret Keeper was Peter Pettigrew, why have you not come forward with this information already?"

"I've been busy!" Dumbledore half-snarled.

"Then, perhaps this body can assist you with that workload you are apparently struggling under," said Amelia with a flat monotone. "It appears you have not had the time to report important facts concerning a mass murder of both magicals and muggles, and you have been too busy to properly deal with Mister Potter's mail.

"You are currently the Chief Warlock on this body, you are the Supreme Mugwump and represent magical Britain on the ICW, you are the Headmaster at Hogwarts, and you claim magical guardianship of Harry James Potter, and we are left wondering how lax you have been in properly training Mister Potter in his role in our community. Clearly, this is too much work for you to do.

"I believe this body should meet in the not too distant future, and discuss removing you from some of those roles under which you are struggling."

"_No!_" bleated Dumbledore. "I have _earned_ my place in this society! You will _not_ do such a thing to me!"

"You are currently very lucky that this body will soon have to deal with the trials of Millicent Bagnold and Bartemius Crouch Senior, before we can move on to your own," snapped Amelia. "I suggest you consider what actions you will take before that time comes!"

Waiting a moment for that to sink in, she addressed Scrimgeour and Doge.

"Mister Doge," she asked. "Do you have any questions for this witness?"

"No, Madam," replied Tobias.

"Master Scrimgeour," she asked turning to the Master Auror. "Do you have any questions for this witness?"

"No, Ma'am," replied Scrimgeour.

"Mister Dumbledore," she stated. "Return to your seat, as it is still your seat... for now."

Dumbledore stomped off across the room and re-ascended to his seat amongst the warlocks.

Turning back to Tobias, she asked, "Do you rest your case, Mister Doge?"

"I do, Madam," said Tobias with a small bow.

Glancing then to each side, Amelia asked, "Are there questions from the Wizengamot relating to the matters before us here this evening?"

No one moved.

"In that case," she said, sitting back. "I call for the vote. All those who vote Sirius Orion Black guilty on all charges indicate by holding up and lighting the tips of their wands."

Five did so. Harry knew them all to be Death Eaters.

"All those who vote Sirius Orion Black innocent on all charges indicate by holding up and lighting the tips of their wands."

All the rest, but her own.

"Sirius Orion Black," intoned Amelia, "the Wizengamot finds you innocent on all charges. You are..."

"Madam Bones," interrupted Augusta, standing.

"Madam Longbottom?" asked Amelia, quite genially.

"Madam Bones, after investigations, it has come to our attention that Sirius Orion Black, on the death of his grandfather only a few short months ago, has inherited the Head of House position for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. While he has not been able to claim his seat, he is still a Lord."

"_What?_" blurted Sirius. "_No!_"

Augusta sat down. Others on the Wizengamot, knowing Augusta Longbottom's dedication to the proper regards of its members and Lords, echoed a few 'Hear, hear's in response. They seemed to think Sirius's outburst was a result of learning about the death of his grandfather. Harry knew different.

"My apologies, Lord Black," said Amelia solemnly.

"_No!_" spluttered Sirius. "You _can't_ do this!"

"Poor man," said Amelia with much pity. "The Wizengamot finds you innocent on all charges. However, as you are clearly suffering from the effects of your incarceration..."

"I'm _not_ Lord Black!" Sirius half-cried. "You _can't make me_..."

Sounds of pity came from all side of the courtroom.

"...you are to be taken from here to St Mungo's hospital by our Aurors," continued Amelia as if she hadn't heard a thing. "There, you will remain until you are well."

"You _can't do this_ to me!"

"Aurors!" called Amelia, still not listening. "Take the poor man to St Mungo's and set up a twenty-four hour protection for him. And _strip him of those chains_!"

"_Wait! Wait!_" Sirius was calling "I'm completely sane, I tell you! I _do not accept_ the Lordship!"

As they were removing all the chains from Sirius, one of the Aurors said with a heavy, caring voice, "Yes, My Lord. We understand, My Lord."

"It's my choice! You can't _force_ it on me!"

He was still demanding he not take up the Lordship as he was freed of the chains and suddenly side-along apparated out of the courtroom.

Harry was struggling mightily not to laugh. The man who had taken the seat on the other side of him said, "Are you alright? You look like you may be having a heart attack or something."

"No, I'm fine," said Harry, half-choking. "I'm just _sooo_ proud of our justice system today."

"If you're sure," the man said, clearly thinking Harry was unwell.

"Yes, thank you," said Harry calming down.

Nodding back the man then turned away. Possibly, because he thought whatever it was Harry had, may have been contagious.

# # #

After Sirius was whisked away to St Mungo's, Harry knew the time was getting late. The court case had gone on even longer than he felt it might. He left the Ministry building and headed for the quiet section of street outside Longbottom Manor, stepped through the wards and dropped his glamour.

Penny let him in, now clearly recognising him; and he waited in the parlour. Madam Longbottom hadn't arrived back yet from the Wizengamot meeting, so he asked Penny to see if Neville was still awake.

The lad was; he was waiting to hear what had happened at the trial. He, too, was just as nervous about Sirius, but for Harry's sake.

Harry told Neville what had happened at the trial and how his grandmother stood up and basically forced the court to recognise Sirius as Head of House Black. He described how Sirius had tried to turn it down, but everyone thought it was because he was probably a little 'unhinged' and didn't understand.

And he described how Sirius was still protesting when they side-along apparated him direct to the wards at St Mungo's.

By the end, Neville was practically rolling on the floor with laughter.

When Augusta came through the floo, Harry and Neville were sitting enjoying a glass of milk and a small plate of cookies each.

"What are you still doing up, young man?" Augusta asked Neville.

"Harry was telling me how you ambushed Sirius at the end of the trial," said Neville gleefully.

"I most certainly did not," huffed Augusta. "It is Lord Black's responsibility to accept the role whether he likes it or not."

"And, by all accounts, he definitely does not like it," giggled Harry. "He hated his family and ran away from it in his fifth year at Hogwarts."

"Be that as it may," said Augusta. "He will come to appreciate the role. Clearly, his grandfather wanted him to have it."

"I bet he's probably still arguing with the Aurors and the medical staff at St Mungo's, if they haven't already hit him with a calming or sleeping potion," said Harry with a chuckle. "I just hope St Mungo's are wise enough to put him somewhere where he can't escape for a while."

"They have, My Lord," said Augusta.

She turned to Neville and commanded, "Right, you. Off to bed. Lord Potter still has to visit Susan and to give her the next cube, too. And it's not polite for you to keep a young lady waiting."

"Okay, grandmother," said Neville, scurrying off to get changed for bed.

After he'd gone, Harry said, "I wonder if I may ask a favour."

"Ask, and I'll let you know, My Lord," replied Augusta.

"When is the next time you think you'll visit with Frank and Alice?" he asked.

"We plan on visiting them either tomorrow or Saturday," she answered. "Why?"

"I think St Mungo's will put Sirius in the same, or a similar ward, based on his behaviour when he was side-along apparated away from the courtroom," explained Harry. "If that is the case, and that you're a respected member of the Wizengamot, I ask to join you on your visit so I may drop in on my godfather."

"You don't think you should go alone, My Lord?" Augusta asked curious.

"No, Ma'am," he replied. "Madam Bones gave orders Sirius was to be protected twenty four hours a day. I doubt very much the Aurors will let me in to see him if I'm alone. I have to maintain my glamour when out and about, remember?"

"Ah, yes," she replied nodding. "You believe, with me there, we should be able to get past the Aurors because I'm both on the Wizengamot and I'm not considered to be someone who would harm your godfather."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied.

"Then we shall go tomorrow afternoon," said Augusta. "There will be less people attending during the early afternoon as it's a work day."

Thank you, Ma'am," he said. "I know how difficult it is for you to visit St Mungo's at the best of times. So, I'm even more thankful you would allow me to tag along."

"Yes, well," she replied. "Now, I believe Neville will be ready for us. Shall we?" she gestured towards the stairs.

# # #

After setting Neville up with his next cube, Harry floo'ed through to the Ossuary and checked with their house elf, Eva, if Madam Bones had returned yet.

The little elf told him no but he could make himself at home while he waited. He also asked if Susan was still awake and the little elf popped away for a few seconds before returning and saying she wasn't.

Harry decided to try to contact Amelia again and see if she could pop home for the few moments it took him to activate the cube.

Tapping the sixth rune he waited for Amelia to answer. And hoped she wouldn't just cut him off, this time.

"Hello," she said.

"Madam Bones, are you alone to chat for a moment?" asked Harry.

"Yes, I am," she replied. "I'm in my office doing paperwork that probably going to take me the greater part of the night."

"I wonder if I can impose upon you to drop back here to the Ossuary for the few seconds I need to... do what I need to do," he asked.

Amelia nodded in understanding. "I shall be there momentarily," she replied. "I want to make sure Susan's safely in bed, anyway."

"Thank you, Ma'am," he said, terminating the connection.

Amelia stepped through just as Harry removed Susan's next cube from its case.

"You're ready?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered. "I didn't want to enter her room without you here. It just wouldn't be right."

"Certainly not!" she stated before saying, "Come on, then, My Lord."

Harry followed behind and waited for Amelia to check in Susan's room before she called him forward.

"She's asleep but decent," she whispered.

Harry nodded and went in. He immediately walked up to the bed, placed the cube softly on Susan's forehead so as not to wake her, and activated the cube in a soft voice.

He left and followed Amelia from the room.

In the parlour, Harry said, "That was a nice bit of theatrics you, Doge and Madam Bones engineered for this evening."

"My Lord, I have no idea what you mean," she replied piously. "And don't forget Rufus Scrimgeour."

"Of course not, Ma'am. How could I?" chuckled Harry.

"Now I must be back to the office. You've created a lot of work for me, My Lord," she said with a smile. "But I'm relishing the legal punch to the nose I gave Albus Dumbledore."

"Good night, Ma'am. I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

"Good night, Harry," she said. "I trust you to let yourself out?"

"Of course," he answered.

And Amelia went back through the floo.

Harry walked out to the street and apparated to the Grangers. No gift for them tonight, though. They'll be surprised.

# # #

In his office at Hogwarts, Dumbledore was fuming. How could things have gone wrong, so fast?

Clearly the Bones woman had it in for him. He had no idea how she'd worked out he'd been redirecting the Potter boy's mail but her line of questioning was no accident. Of that he was sure.

He thought himself lucky that Bagnold and Crouch were going to be tried before his, so called, actions were brought before the Wizengamot. That gave him time to grease the right palms and protest he was acting for The Greater Good with the boy's welfare solely what he was protecting, with those he knew were his strongest supporters.

Thankfully, Black's release and Bagnold and Crouch's arrest meant the articles about him would be way down the list of what held the interest of the public.

Also, thankfully, he hadn't been forced to take Veritaserum. And the questioning did not delve into where he was keeping the boy. That would have been a disaster.

All he had to do was keep people from asking where the boy was until 1st September, and the boy would be safely within the walls of Hogwarts where he would have full control of him.

# # #


	12. Dumbledore's Bad Day

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twelve - Dumbledore's Bad Day

Harry crashed out when he returned to the palace after giving Hermione her next cube. He even allowed himself a bit of a lie-in when he awoke.

Climbing out of bed he took a long shower before finally dressing. He wanted to go and see his godfather but knew he needed to wait until he received a call from Madam Longbottom to meet her and Neville.

He also wanted to head to Diagon Alley to pick up that morning's copy of the _Daily Prophet_, just to see how much trouble he'd stirred up.

Before he left the suite, though, he waylaid Michael to ask him to pass on a note to Her Majesty. Harry had written a short message to the Queen informing her his godfather had been released from prison the night before and was currently under twenty four hour protective guard at the wizarding world's hospital recuperating from the ravages of his long stay in the prison.

# # #

In Diagon Alley, Harry quickly sought a copy of the _Prophet_ and returned with it to the Leaky Cauldron. He specifically didn't have his morning cup of tea at the palace, preferring to enjoy having one while reading the wizarding world's paper.

The main headline, of course, related to his godfather's release. BLACK FREE, the banner headline proclaimed. It went on to detail how his godfather was proven not to have betrayed the Potters or killed the muggles, after all. And even included a quote from the Minister where he said, "_A great injustice was rectified [last night]. An innocent man, wrongly imprisoned, was finally given the justice he deserved._"

The Minister made it sound like he was almost solely responsible for giving Sirius his freedom. It was his leadership of the Ministry that saw 'his' hardworking auror department make good what was wrong.

Snorting, Harry thought the man would make a gas explosion accident sound like a beautification project if no one was hurt.

The next story, 'over the fold' as the newsies put it, was DUMBLEDORE STEALS HARRY'S MAIL. It covered how he'd been intercepting mail directed to Harry. And how Amelia, as Head of the DMLE, was expecting people to make formal complaints through her office about any mail they had sent him, Harry, not being sent through. The article went on to say how the journalist who wrote it thought Amelia had made valid points about how Dumbledore 'obviously' had too many responsibilities and they should be cut back.

Harry hadn't planned on the mail interception thing becoming public yet, he had planned that for the following week. But Amelia played the card with perfection and, as it was now wrapped up in Dumbles' role in Sirius's incarceration, the old man was going to have to dance a major political jig to hold on to any part of his reputation.

There was even a small article that implied Dumbledore may have Harry chained up in a dungeon at Hogwarts. And that Hogwarts should be searched immediately in case he was there.

That one really had Harry chuckling to himself.

Another article covered how Bagnold and Crouch were now facing charges for their part in imprisoning Sirius without a trial. And what part Dumbledore played in that by not coming forward with the true identity of the Secret Keeper.

Harry anticipated it would take him at least two weeks to get beyond it. And that's when he'd start the next one.

He wondered whether he should go next. The unsealing of the Will, hiding Harry, the start of investigations into the missing funds. What?

In the mean time, he'd have Sirius playing the angry godfather searching for his godson and harassing old Dumbles for the information. If Sirius pushed hard enough, especially if he took his seat on the Wizengamot, he might be able to get the Will, supposedly, unsealed and that would give Dumbles more headaches. But it would also mean Harry had to switch back with Dobby so he would be the one at Privet Drive when he was removed from there and taken to the reading. That could be risky.

Maybe he should begin by starting to write his book, _Harry Potter: The Facts in His Own Words_. He didn't have to publish it yet. But it was something he wanted to complete so he could use it later as yet another black mark against Dumbledore's, now slightly marred, sterling reputation. However, that was going to take quite some time. He wasn't going to have it ready, and couldn't use it anyway, in two weeks. That was for something for later, once he was acknowledged by Hogwarts as the Head of House Slytherin.

Reading through further he didn't expect letters to the paper from readers covering the results of the trial itself as yet. People wouldn't have had an opportunity to process it themselves and still get their letters printed. That would have to wait until tomorrow.

For right now, though; he had to get to Gringotts. With all the running around over Sirius's trial yesterday, he did not return to the bank, as promised, to collect his details concerning his mundane bank account.

# # #

After a restless night in which he had to self administer a minor calming potion to get a much needed night's sleep, Dumbledore headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. While the school was empty of students, the staff who remained at Hogwarts still engaged in the ritual of breakfast together.

Dumbledore sat in his high backed chair but, before he could begin his breakfast, a veritable deluge of owls entered the Great Hall through the openings at the top of the walls. Within moments he was buried under a pile of letters from people from all over wizarding Britain. Letters had spilled off the table top onto the floor, they flowed off his body onto the floor, they overflowed his chair onto the floor.

Staff either side of him quickly moved away from him as the pile built. Multiple howlers were mixed in with the pile and were smouldering in the way of such things.

Professor McGonagall managed to snag a copy of that morning's _Daily Prophet_ from the tabletop, delivered to her by owl before it, too, was buried. Reading the front page, she began to frown.

"Albus," she said in her most stern voice, pointing to the main article. "What is the meaning of this?"

Sending all the mail into a pile on the floor before the table Dumbledore replied in his most kindly grandfatherly voice, "It is all a misunderstanding, Minerva. I will have it all cleared up before too long, I assure you."

That's when the second deluge of owl mail hit him.

Waiting for the Headmaster to deal with the second pile of mail, McGonagall read more of the article.

"Burning the boy's mail, Albus?" she asked. "And giving his gifts away to orphanages. How could you?"

"Now, Minerva," he said. "It's all for the boy's safety. The boy needs and deserves a normal childhood, free of the reminders of the death of his parents. As his magical guardian I did what was in the boy's best interests."

"We shall speak more on this, Albus," McGonagall said. "You went too far."

"If you wish, Minerva," he replied with a sigh of great patience. "But, it is for the greater good."

McGonagall just scowled at him and said, "And yet it appears a great many people disagree with you," indicating the growing piles of mail before the table.

Dumbledore did not have the time to deal with his Deputy. He knew he needed to get in to see Black at St Mungo's as soon as possible and convince the man he, Albus Dumbledore, needed to remain the Potter boy's magical guardian.

He'd try to convince Black his ten years within Azkaban had left him weak and currently unable to provide care for the boy. Black would see reason.

# # #

Again shown to a private room within Gringotts, Harry waited only a few moments for Blockrig to enter with his ledgers and a small file. The goblin looked well pleased.

*Good morning, friend goblin,* said Harry in gobbledegook. *May our business today bring great profits to us both.*

*Good morning, My Lord,* said Blockrig. *May our business today bring much despair to our enemies.*

"I take it you are aware of, and pleased with, the events that transpired yesterday evening?"

With one of those shark-like grins Blockrig said, "Indeed, on both counts, My Lord."

And, more seriously, said, "I hope you will allow me the opportunity to make amends if you ever believe I have wronged you so much, My Lord."

"Friend goblin," said Harry seriously. "I cannot perceive, and refuse to believe, you could ever do such a thing. Banish the thought from your mind."

Nodding, Blockrig said, "I thank you, My Lord, for your trust."

Changing the subject, Harry said, "Now, the reason I have returned is to receive news of your efforts towards the creation of an account in a mundane bank."

"Of course, My Lord," said Blockrig. "I have the details here."

Opening the small file before him, Blockrig withdrew two small plastic cards. Offering the first to Harry he said, "This is the credit card you requested."

Then offering the second card he said, "And this is the... ATM... card linked to the credit card. Both are in a false name, and both are also linked back to your main Potter vault through a couple of... what we believe the term to be... cut-outs."

Looking at both cards, Harry could see the name 'Frederick Smith' embossed in black under the same sort of embossing for the account details.

"Will you require instruction on how to use both, My Lord?" asked Blockrig.

"No, that is quite alright, Blockrig," replied Harry. "I'm familiar with the use of both."

"As you wish, My Lord," the goblin said, with a slight bow.

"Are the statements associated with the account sent back here, to you?" asked Harry.

"Yes, My Lord," replied Blockrig. "And I will be able to monitor the account to see it is continually stocked with... mundane money."

"Excellent," stated Harry. "Please add an extra ten percent to your service charge as a bonus for your dedication."

"My Lord is most generous," said Blockrig with a small bow.

"The next item," said Harry, moving on, "is I want to have Mister Doge placed on retainer. I trust his final payment for his role in freeing Lord Black from incarceration will soon find its way to him?"

"Yes, My Lord," said Blockrig. "We have already alerted him he is to send the bill to us, but we are yet to receive it. We will inform him of your wish to place him on retainer."

Nodding, Harry said, "Good. Please also add a bonus for him of a further five percent above his charge for his... alacrity... in securing Lord Black's freedom. Tell him I am well pleased with him will require he pursue, on behalf of Lord Black, the seeking of damages against Millicent Bagnold, Bartemius Crouch Senior and Albus Dumbledore for their roles in his unlawful incarceration."

The old goblin was taking judicious notes, but glanced up when Harry mentioned Dumbledore's name.

Harry continued, "Further, he will receive much other work from me in the not too distant future."

When he finished taking notes, the old goblin looked up and said, "It will be done, My Lord."

"Another point," said Harry. "Though, I know it goes against the high standards of service provided by Gringotts to its many and varied customers, I beg that I not be addressed in a manner which acknowledges my Lordship while I am in the public areas."

The old goblin hesitated before answering, "We, at Gringotts, have already deduced this would be your desire when you asked for the magic of the rings to be suppressed, My Lord. Director Ragnock has already given that order to the staff."

Harry was a little surprised but said, "Please thank Director Ragnock for his... anticipation and thoughtfulness. It will save me from embarrassment when I attend the bank with staff or supporters of Dumbledore in the near future."

"One final point," said Harry. "It's more of a point to be aware of. I have advised Countess Ravenclaw, Hermione Jean Granger, to attend the bank to see to her responsibilities with her accounts.

"I have also asked her to investigate what is required to create a new Magical House, complete with the rings involved. Please advise the Account Holder for the Ravenclaw account I expect her to attend the bank regarding this matter soon."

"It will be done, My Lord," said the goblin taking yet more notes. "And I thank you, on behalf of the Account Holder for the Ravenclaw account, for the warning. It will give him the opportunity to present a good showing to Lady Ravenclaw."

"You and he are most welcome," replied Harry. "Before I take my leave, is there any matter you wish to raise with me at this time?"

"No, My Lord; not at this time," replied the old goblin.

"In that case," said Harry, rising and switching to gobbledegook. *May you see much profit in your coming days.*

*And may your enemies flee before the sight of you,* the old goblin finished, also rising.

Harry then left the bank with his new, mundane, bank and credit cards safely in his satchel.

# # #

Amelia Bones was not having a good day. Nor were her aurors who had been called in for duty early.

Before her office was even due to open there were already bags of mail piled on the DMLE office floor. And, outside, people were already clamouring for entry. Her aurors were having the devil of a time getting through and shutting the door behind them.

She had already sent a message to the auror training facility demanding the current crop of trainee aurors be sent to her office prepared to check and open mail, and to take statements of complaints.

She had them set up tables and chairs within the currently empty Wizengamot chamber, and there they would go through the mail, out of the way and out of sight.

Before opening the doors, she had her people create a long bench across the room between the door and her aurors' desks, about ten feet in from the door. Upon the bench she had placed every auto-quill in the auror 'armoury' both within the office and from down in the interrogation cells. It was there, the aurors - trainee and active, alike - would take the statements.

At 9.00am sharp, she had Kingsley Shacklebolt open the door. On opening it a crack he immediately jumped the bench to escape the crush of people who came flooding in.

She glared down at Auror Shacklebolt, while he climbed back to his feet and brushed himself off.

"Those are angry mothers over there, Ma'am," he said. "I don't get paid enough to be on the other side of that bench."

Standing back from the bench a bit so she could be seen by all who were complainants, she said in a loud voice, "Okay, folks! Please form lines in front of the auto-quills. If there's no auto-quill at the head of your line, then you are _not_ in a line.

"Our aurors have been instructed to evict anyone who is rowdy or otherwise breaking the peace. Those who resist will be arrested on the spot and find themselves in our holding cells, until we can get to them. That probably won't be until we have finished taking statements. You have been warned!

"Try to remember, this is not about you. This is about a ten year old orphan boy who has been denied his mail!"

Their day of unrelenting quill-hand cramp had begun.

"Damn that Dumbledore," she swore. "Damn the man to hell!"

'At least I've been able to wring further funding out of Fudge to pay for it all', she thought. 'Even if the man will turn it to his advantage in the press.'

# # #

As soon as he had breakfasted Dumbledore headed directly to St Mungo's. He needed to be the first person to speak with Black, other than the medical staff of St Mungo's or the aurors guarding him.

Once at St Mungo's he was given directions and quickly climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, the Janus Thickey Ward. Black was being kept in a private room just apart from Ward 49, in room 49a.

He entered the main ward and saw an auror standing outside a door to a room off to the side.

Approaching the door he said, "Ah! Auror. Glad to see you here protecting Lord Black. Now if you'll excuse me..."

The auror stepped in front of the door and stopped Dumbledore with a hand to the chest.

"You may not pass, Mister Dumbledore," he said

"What?" spluttered Dumbledore. "I'm Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot! You will stand aside!"

"No, Mister Dumbledore," flatly stated the auror. "You will leave!"

"I insist you stand aside, this instant!" blustered Dumbledore. "As a member of the Wizengamot, I am here on official business! I will not be hindered!

"Madam Bones is also on the Wizengamot," replied the auror. "And it is by her order that you may not pass!"

"I protest!" blustered Dumbledore even more. "You will summon her at once, so we may get to the bottom of this... absurdity!"

"Madam Bones is currently in her office busy working, Mister Dumbledore," the auror replied. "She will likely not be free for quite some time. You are, of course, welcome to visit her directly and make your complaint to her. I believe she is receiving a great many, this morning."

"Fine!" huffed Dumbledore. "I will have your name for my complaint to Amelia."

"Robards, Sir," said the auror, "Gawain Robards."

Thoroughly embarrassed and rebuffed, Dumbledore spun about and stormed from the hospital in an even fouler mood. He couldn't afford to stay in one place for too long. He was still ducking owls.

He would head directly to the Ministry and demand, as the boy's magical guardian, access to the boy's godfather. He would claim he needed to speak with the man about the boy's welfare. They would not dare deny him.

# # #

Shortly after a lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry received the expected mirror call from Augusta asking him to join her and Neville at Longbottom Manor for their visit to St Mungo's. He quickly checked he had the little pewter statuette of an Irish Wolfhound he made into a portkey to Potter Manor and made his way to the public floo fireplace to floo to Longbottom Manor.

Stepping through he saw both Augusta and Neville were dressed in their best for their visit. Harry transfigured his clothing to match.

Turning to Augusta he said, "If anyone asks who I am, Ma'am; could you please just say I'm Neville's god brother, Henry, who's been living in France?"

Augusta sighed and said, "I will not, but I will say nothing if you say you are to the aurors. I will be glad when you finally drop this 'staying hidden' nonsense."

"As will I, Ma'am" replied Harry quietly.

# # #

Not being able to contact Madam Bones directly through the floo, Dumbledore stepped into the Ministry atrium through one of the public fireplaces.

He stormed off and made his way through security to the lifts, riding one to the second floor.

As soon as he exited the lift he was greeted by a long cue ahead of him, all waiting to get in the door of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

He, of course, was the great Albus Dumbledore. He waited for no one. So, he strode through the back of the line heading for the door.

He made it about six people in before he heard, "Hey, isn't that the mail thief, Dumbledore?"

"Dumbledore! My daughter is very unhappy and wants..."

"Hey, mail thief! I've spent over twenty galleons on gifts..."

"You burned my letters, you mongrel! I paid priority owl on those...

Plus a great deal more, as more and more people suddenly realised the great Albus 'Mail Thief' Dumbledore was in their midst. It was only a few seconds before he was being shouted questions and abuse and had people hitting and hexing him.

Standing just outside the door, with the door open, was one of Amelia's newest aurors.

Amelia, hearing the commotion outside looked at new auror at the door and called, "What's that bloody racket?"

The new auror said, "It appears that... ALBUS DUMBLEDORE... has attempted to head this way to come into the office. It further appears that a few of our complainants, awaiting giving their own statements, OUT HERE IN THE CORRIDOR, have recognised him."

"Have they, Auror Savage?" asked Amelia with a twitch to her lips.

"Yes, Ma'am," the auror said in a slow drawl. "And they appear to wish to... remonstrate... with the man."

"Now, why ever would they want to do that?" asked Amelia, trying hard to hold back a smile.

"Perhaps they seek an explanation? They haven't asked yet if HE'S HERE TO PAY RESTITUTION."

"That very well may be the case, Auror Savage. Perhaps you should escort him here?"

"Ummm... I'm afraid it appears he has left, Madam Bones. Perhaps, HE'LL VERY SHORTLY BE IN THE ATRIUM and I can go there and bring him back."

"Of course, he'll be in the atrium, IT'S THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THE BUILDING for the public. But, if he wishes to leave, we won't hold him for now."

"Yes, Ma'am!" said Auror Savage.

"Do let me know immediately if he returns?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

# # #

Stepping through to St Mungo's Augusta led Neville and Harry up the stairs to the fourth floor and to ward 49. Harry followed as Augusta led him to the door guarded by the auror.

"Good afternoon, Auror. I'm Madam Augusta Longbottom. I believe you have been expecting me," said Augusta with great dignity.

Auror Robards replied, "Yes, Madam Longbottom, please go straight in."

"Not me, auror," replied Augusta. "Just this young man here," she said, indicating Harry.

"Yes, Ma'am," said Robards, then looking to Harry and holding the door for him.

Harry said, "Thank you, Ma'am; and thank you, Auror," as he walked in through the door.

Harry walked in and saw Sirius strapped to the bed. Another auror was standing in the corner with his wand drawn. He'd clearly just risen from a chair he was sitting in.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" snarled Sirius glaring at him.

After the door closed behind him, Harry calmly looked back at his godfather and said, "Shut up, Padfoot!"

Staring back in shock Sirius said, "Huh?"

Turning to the auror, Harry said, "I need to discuss House business with Lord Black. You may remain in the room, but please set up a silencing shield upon yourself."

Sirius bellowed, "I will not be Lord Black!" While the auror said, "I'll remain, but I'll create the shield."

Harry watched the auror create the shield and waited for it to go into effect. Then he walked to the side of the bed where his back would be to the auror. He raised his right hand in front of his chest where Sirius could see it, palm inwards and with his ring finger showing. Then he made the Head of House Potter ring show.

"Do you recognise it, Sirius?" he asked.

Looking at the ring in shock, Sirius then looked up at Harry's face and asked, "Harry?"

Nodding, Harry then let the glamour slip from his face before putting it back up again. "Who else could wear the bloody ring. Yeah, it's me. Now I want you to call me Henry, okay?"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want people, especially Dumbledork, to know I'm not where he shoved me and expects me to still be," said Harry walking around to the other side of the bed and, grabbing a chair, sitting down.

"I have a lot to explain to you about what's going on," began Harry. "You're not going to like it and you're going to get really angry hearing it. But this is definitely not the place to tell it. However, I need you to do three things for me. Okay?"

Sirius just stared back and nodded.

"First, I need you to pretend to believe I'm still in hiding, and that Dumbledore's the one that put me there. You need to harass the living hell out of Dumbledore to get him to give me to you as his godfather. I want him constantly on the back foot, reacting instead of acting. He will fight you all the way, but he needs to keep on thinking he's winning the battle against you to keep me," said Harry.

Sirius again nodded and said, "Up until this moment I thought that to still be the truth."

"As far as he knows, it still is," replied Harry. "There's someone acting as me, using Polyjuice Potion to look like me, where he thinks he has me safely stashed. And, until the 1st September, I need him to think that's where I still am. That's when I board the train to Hogwarts."

"Okay, I can see that. You have a plan going on to destroy that mongrel, pup?" asked Sirius.

"Oh, yes," replied Harry. "But I first need to destroy his reputation before I can destroy _him_. What you saw last night from Amelia Bones of her attack against Dumbledore during your trial, was a part of that. What you don't know is a lot of that was theatrics, arranged in advance, between Madam Bones, Rufus Scrimgeour, and Tobias Doge. You were never in danger of leaving that chamber anything but a free man."

"Well, I'm not a free man now, am I?" he snarled. "I'm still chained. It's just the conditions of my imprisonment that've changed."

"And, I'm sorry about that," replied Harry. "But Madam Bones wanted to put you on ice, and also ensure you were safe and receiving the best of medical care, until I could get in to see you."

"Huh!" said Sirius. "And you thought all this up?"

"Nope," replied Harry. "I just had Madam Bones check the records concerning your case and how you were thrown into Azkaban without a trial. She then sent me to Tobias Doge. Then she, Doge, Scrimgeour and Madam Augusta Longbottom organised the rest."

"So, you had Longbottom try and force me to take the Lordship?" he growled.

"Down, boy," grinned Harry. "And no, I didn't. That blind-sided me as much as it did you. And you will be respectful of Madam Longbottom because she's the one who got me in here to see you under the cover of being her 'long lost nephew'. She's on your side."

"Yet she's the one who's trying to force me to take the Lordship!" shot back Sirius.

"Yes, and for two very important reasons," said Harry before he was interrupted.

"Well, I don't bloody want it!" bellowed Sirius.

"Shut up and bloody listen to the reasons before yelling at me, Snuffles!" snarled back Harry.

"Uppity Pup!"

"Shoosh!"

Once Sirius had calmed down again, Harry said, "The first reason is because, if you pass on taking up the Lordship, it will pass to your second cousin, Draco Malfoy, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy's son. Do you really want that Death Eater-in-training, and bigoted get of Lucius Malfoy, to be the Head of your House?"

"Hell, no!" Sirius emphatically responded.

"You should also know, one of the reasons you're currently in here under guard, is because no one doubts for a moment Malfoy won't try to have you 'bumped off' so it automatically falls to Draco straight away.

"I know you want me to be your heir, but I can't be until you accept the Head of House position!" stated Harry.

"Okay, I can see that," said a much calmer Sirius. "But, what's the second reason."

"It's so I can get my hands on an artefact Voldemort's followers can use to resurrect him. I need you to claim the family heirloom contents of Bellatrix's vault and kick her butt out of the family. Kicking Narcissa's butt out of the family, too, will also give you another layer of protection from being assassinated by Malfoy."

"What?" asked Sirius quite shocked.

"There's a magical item in Bellatrix's vault that has a piece of Voldemort's soul locked within it. His followers can use it to resurrect him. You need to get to it first. And you can only do that if you're Head of the House of Black."

"Damn, Pup!" said Sirius sadly. "I never wanted the Lordship. I even begged my grandfather not to give it to me. It wasn't supposed to come to me."

"Well, I'm sorry," said Harry. "Life's a female wolfhound. But, it's you or Draco Malfoy. And a known Death Eater and supporter of Voldemort, by the name of Lucius Malfoy, gets his hands on the soul container if you don't claim the title first. I think your grandfather knew it would otherwise pass on to Malfoy; so, you were _never_ kicked out of the family, no matter how much your mother demanded it."

Sirius sighed.

"Now, if you be a good boy and accept your medicine, and be nice for the doctors and nurses, then they'll release you from these bindings," said Harry. "And, once they do that, you can immediately get out of here."

Harry reached into his satchel and carefully drew out the pewter statuette of the Irish wolfhound. "See the pretty statue? You like it. Smile for the auror and nod your head."

Sirius smiled and nodded.

"Now, it's a portkey that will immediately take you to, and within the wards at, Potter Manor," explained Harry. "All you need to do is take it in your hand and make a fist around it. It's already charged with enough magical energy to get you there quite comfortably. The Activation phrase is 'I'll see you later'."

Harry put the statuette on Sirius's bedside table.

"Pixie is still at the Manor and she is more than happy to take care of your needs and nurse you the rest of the way back to health," Harry went on. "At least there you will be in less danger of being attacked.

"So, remember: Be nice and accept you're the new Lord Black with all the doctors and nurses; pretend I'm still missing and Dumbledore has me stashed somewhere; harass the living hell out of Dumbledore to get me back, but be unsuccessful; take up your Head of House ring; Kick Bellatrix out of the family and seize her vault contents; and kick Narcissa and Draco out of the family denying him the Lordship on your death."

"Okay, Pup," said a much subdued Sirius. "I can do all that. Especially if the first one means I get to have these restraints removed."

"Well, if you're an extra good boy and can get those restraints removed by lunch time tomorrow - thereby allowing you to use that portkey - I'll tell you how I pranked the Queen!" said Harry with a smile.

Shocked, Sirius asked, "Damn, Pup! You pranked the Queen? The Queen of England?"

Not bothering to correct the error, Harry just said, "Big time! Plus, I managed to get myself a suite of rooms within the palace to stay in for as long as I want!"

"Oh, I've got to hear this story," said an eager Sirius.

"And you will, tomorrow afternoon, if you're good," replied Harry. "Now, remember, my name is Henry."

Harry stood and gestured to the auror, who then cast a Finite Charm to remove the Silencing Charm.

"Thank you, auror. That was much appreciated," said Harry.

"You're welcome, Sir," he replied.

Turning to Sirius, Harry said, "Thank you, My Lord. I appreciate you giving me your time."

"You're welcome... Henry," said Sirius calmly. "And, thank you, for setting me straight."

Harry bowed a little bow towards Sirius and left the room. Augusta and Neville were waiting outside.

Walking away together, Augusta asked, "How did it go?"

"He'll take the Lordship ring and behave himself," replied Harry. "Once I told him it will help protect him from being assassinated on the orders of Lucius Malfoy, he began to understand."

Augusta stopped dead in her tracks and stared in horror at Harry.

"What?" she asked.

"Madam Longbottom, really," said Harry. "Draco Malfoy is next in line for Head of House Black. If Sirius dies before he formally accepts his Lordship, it will fall to Draco Malfoy. It's why old Arcturus didn't kick Sirius out of the family no matter how much old Lady Walburga wanted it. I thought you'd know that."

"Errr... No. I didn't," said Augusta. Lifting her head, she said, "Come along. We need to return to Longbottom Manor, straight away."

# # #

As soon as Augusta, Neville and Harry stepped through into the parlour of Longbottom Manor, Augusta immediately made a floo call to Amelia.

Not getting an answer, she pulled out the mirror Harry gave her and tried to mirror the woman. She answered.

""'Melia? Harr... Lord P... just informed me of something quite astonishing and I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it myself," said an agitated Augusta.

"'Gus? What's wrong?" echoed Amelia.

"Listen. If Sirius Black dies before he formally takes up his Lordship, it will pass to Draco Malfoy as the next in line," Augusta said in a bit of rush. "How long do you think it's going to take Lucius to figure that out for himself and... take steps?"

"Oh? Oh... Oh!" Harry heard Amelia understand. "Thank you for telling me this, 'Gus. I'll need to take steps immediately!"

Augusta sighed and slowly closed the mirror.

"My Lord Potter," she said in a strained voice turning to Harry. "In future, please do not assume we know something just because you do. I would appreciate you providing a little... warning in future."

"Certainly, Ma'am," said Harry. "I thought you knew, and that was why the aurors were placed inside and outside of Sirius's room."

"No, they were just there to keep Dumbledore and reporters away," she replied.

"Then I apologise, Madam Longbottom," said a somewhat contrite Harry. "I'll do better next time."

# # #

Dumbledore returned to his own office, scratched, bruised, hair torn out in hunks, bleeding in a few places, missing one of his favourite hats, and wearing torn clothing.

He was furious! Someone was playing games with the great Albus Dumbledore, Leader of the Light, Holder of the Order of Merlin First Class, Long term Headmaster of Hogwarts. This could not be tolerated!

But, the only person he now knew was actively working against him was Amelia Bones. Yet, there was no way she could have suspected the information against him, and yet she did. There had to be others, working behind the scenes.

He also suspected Augusta Longbottom to be assisting the Bones woman but, so far, he only suspected. Longbottom was well known for monitoring the Heirs and Heads of the other Houses, so it made sense she would know Black was the new Head of House for Black on the death of his grandfather. But why raise the matter there? And why was Black apparently so against taking the seat?

He needed answers but he didn't know to whom to turn for them.

Dumbledore took himself off to the hospital wing to see to his injuries. His physical ones, at least.

# # #

Upon leaving the Longbottom Manor, Harry headed to the Ministry. Under his glamour he went up to Level 6 to visit the Floo Regulation Panel within the Department of Magical Transportation. He wanted to get Potter Manor connected to the Floo Network.

He knew this would be tricky but he thought it needed to be done. It could be a way for the Grangers, if they ended up there, to be able to leave again for somewhere closer to their home.

The officious idiot wanted him to provide all sorts of proof as to his residence of the property, proof of age, whether someone could vouch for him and others. Harry, though he hated it, eventually used low level Legilimency against the man to get him to put through the papers without looking too closely at them. His home would have the address, 'The Pottery'.

The floo at Potter Manor would be connected by tomorrow afternoon. He was just thankful the Floo Regulation Panel and the Floo Network Authority rarely talked to one another, and that the persons installing the floo did not need to attend the property to connect it.

On leaving, he purchased a bag of floo powder and a nice little container to put it in. He might replace the container later, but the one he bought was good enough for now.

# # #

Floo'ing out of the Ministry, Harry headed to Diagon Alley, walked to the apparation point and apparated out to Potter Manor.

Walking in, Pixie greeted him at the door.

"Hello, Master Harry, Sir," she said.

"Hello, Pixie," replied Harry with a smile.

"Does Master Harry, need something?" she asked.

"No, I've just dropped by to leave a pot of floo powder above the fireplace," Harry said, showing Pixie the container of floo powder. "And to let you know you can expect, either tonight or tomorrow, Master Sirius to arrive via portkey."

"Ooooh, Pixie like Master Sirius," the little elf squeaked.

"I know you do," said Harry with a smile. "But he's not very well, even if he tries to tell you he is. So I want you to take special care of him for me, Okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir," she agreed. "Pixie understand how to help sick people."

"And when he comes, tell him I would be here as soon as I can, okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir," she replied again.

"Now, the floo is not connected yet, but I expect it to be connected by tomorrow afternoon. If Sirius arrives before then, tell him it will be connected before tomorrow afternoon, too."

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir," she replied again.

"I should be back by tomorrow afternoon myself, just to make sure Sirius has arrived safe."

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir," she replied again.

Harry just shook his head and apparated out back to the Alley.

# # #

Back at the Alley, Harry went in search of and purchased a mokeskin duffle bag.

Then he headed to Flourish and Blotts to purchase all the books about him, supposedly, that he could purchase. Plus, all the text books for all seven years at Hogwarts. Those all went into his new mokeskin duffle bag.

Now that everything was humming along he had time to dedicate to writing his so-called biography. But he first needed to know what nonsense others had written about him. Hence, the need for the other books.

He headed out into mundane London with the idea of purchasing a laptop. But he still didn't know what to do about the battery flattening problem. It was while looking for something to counter that effect he spotted an old manual typewriter. It was perfect. No electricity or batteries needed. Add a ream of typing paper and spare ribbons and he was set.

# # #

Harry returned with his booty to the palace and stacked the books into two piles; those that were books supposedly about his life, and the other of all the text books.

His idea was to give the text books to Susan and Hermione once they reached Hogwarts. For now, he had to read through all the books written about him.

He set the first pile before himself and started to speed read through them.

# # #

That night he did the rounds of the Longbottom, Bones and Granger residences early with the cube on mathematics and physics. Like him, the heirs were about to be experts in both subjects.

Speaking with Neville first, he asked the lad if he had any questions.

"No, but I've been talking with Susan and Hermione," he replied. "They told me you've got them working on a project about comparing the two sets of laws and what we're going to need to fix once we allow the rings to be recognised. Do you have something for me?"

Surprised, Harry replied, "Two things, actually. The first is, I want you to go through last night's cube and think of ways we can smack down the Wizengamot when they try and block us from doing things. Think about who we need to alliance with in the Heads of Houses - and you can use your grandmother to help with that - and who will very probably alliance against us.

"In doing that, I want you to consider that some of the Heads that may normally align with the so-called 'light' families, will back Dumbledore. So, they're not really 'light'. If there's a block there that would alliance with Dumbledore because they've fallen for his 'Leader of the Light' rubbish, then we may to speak to them, or have your grandmother speak to them, outside the Wizengamot. Your grandmother is no slouch when it comes to understanding what's going on there, so use her knowledge."

"Okay, I can do that," said Neville. "What's the other one?"

"I don't know if the girl's have told you yet, but when you have time you should think about meditating to discover your animagus form," suggested Harry. "You need to focus on meditating but, once you're in a meditative state, you need to let your mind float free to seek the form. If you need help, ask Merlin."

"I can do that?" asked Neville with wonder.

"Of course!" replied Harry. "You forgot I mentioned it at the palace?"

"Yeah, I guess I did," replied Neville.

"Well, now I've reminded you. So, it's something you can work at discovering when you've nothing else to do," said Harry. "But don't try to push it. It will come when it comes and it's nothing to do with how intelligent or how much of a free thinker you are. It took me ages to discover mine."

"Okay, thanks Harry," the boy said.

Susan gave him a rundown of what she and Hermione had discovered through their comparison of both laws.

"There's so much wrong, Harry," she said with exasperation. "How are we going to get it all done?"

"A wise man once said to me, and I'm paraphrasing here, 'No matter the height of the peak you need to assail, every climb begins one step at a time'," replied Harry. "That's why I'm asking you to just go through them all, and then put them into some semblance of order we can tackle, 'One step at a time'."

"Yeah... yeah," said Susan frowning in thought. "I can see that."

Harry smiled and said, "This is a job that's going to take decades, if not the rest of our lives, to complete. We don't need to get everything done in a matter of weeks."

Hermione also wanted to discuss the law. She was furious about some of the laws regarding how magical beings were treated, especially the house elves.

"Did you know," she snapped, "there was even an attempt to have mundanes classed as 'beasts'?"

"Yes, 'Mione. Of course I did," said Harry patiently.

"Well, that's just stupid!" she retorted.

"Think of it more as, they didn't know better. And that they're bigots," said Harry. "And then hold on to the knowledge we're going to smack them down when we take our seats.

"Trust me, Her Majesty is just as upset, if not more so, about this. So I know equal rights and opportunity are going to have to be one of the first things we fix.

"Anyways, time for you to get to bed, and for me to get back to the palace. I've had too many late nights this past week, as it is."

A few minutes later, Harry was off to the Bones Manor.

# # #

Up in the morning and, as he didn't need to be anywhere, he began to write the real story about Harry Potter. That is, the real story including how Dobby had been treated. He hadn't been able to check on the brave little house elf. And wouldn't even get a chance to meet him until he switched with him in a few days to receive his Hogwarts letter. He had to make sure Dobby knew to go to Potter Manor until the afternoon of 31st July. Then they could switch back again until the morning of 1st September.

Even then, he'd have to be careful during the switch so Dumbledore wouldn't suspect anything. It meant he'd be out of circulation for about ten days, but he could put up with the Dursleys again for that long. But, this time, he wouldn't be the meek little boy. While Dumbledore's little monitoring charms would tell he was there, it wouldn't be able to tell he had already been emancipated and, therefore, could already use magic.

The Dursleys weren't going to be able to treat him the same as they've been treating him. Well, as they _thought_ they'd been treating him.

# # #

At lunch he enjoyed the meal brought to him by Michael and packed away his typewriter and papers.

He left the palace and headed for St Mungo's to see how his godfather was faring.

Walking into Ward 49 he noticed two aurors bracketing the door to Sirius's room..

'Interesting', he thought. 'I wonder how many of the visitors and patient's in this ward are aurors in hiding. A couple, at least, appeared to be quite alert for folks with permanent troubles of the mind.'

At the door, the one on the left recognised him and, telling the other he was cleared, held the door open for him.

Inside he saw another two aurors, one of them the young man he recognised from his last visit. He could see Sirius's restraints had been removed and he was now sitting up.

Stopping inside the door, Harry said, "Hello, My Lord."

"Henry," said Sirius, with a feral grin. "I'll see you later."

Sirius suddenly disappeared.

"What the..." exclaimed Harry.

"Where'd he go?" he heard from one of the aurors.

The other one said, "You! Down on the floor! Now!"

"Get in here," the first one shouted.

Harry suddenly found himself pushed to the floor with a wand tip to the back of his head.

'Sirius, you wanker!' he thought. Knowing exactly what happened.

About four other aurors ran into the room. Harry couldn't tell exactly how many as he was currently kissing the floor.

'When I get out of this, I'm coming for you, you mongrel,' he thought

"Madam Bones will be here shortly," he heard one of the aurors say to someone else.

"You!" someone yelled in his ear. "What did you do with Lord Black!"

"How would I know?" exclaimed Harry. "I just got here!"

Harry felt his satchel stripped from his shoulder and was roughly searched.

"No wand," he heard a gruff voice say.

"Nothing out of the ordinary in his bag, either," he heard from another.

"How did you do it?" A voice in his ear demanded.

"Don't you people get it?" said Harry. "I'm being set up!"

Harry remained on the floor for some time. The aurors, and whoever else, had come and gone while he waited. Then he heard the voice he'd been expecting.

"Let him up," he heard Amelia's voice say with a sigh.

Hauled to his feet, he was roughly turned around. Amelia was standing before him with her arms crossed but wand drawn.

"I thought it was you," she said.

"Madam Bones," said Harry. "I had just walked in the room when Lord Black said 'Hello' and then said 'See you later'. Next thing I know, he was gone. Then I had a wand to the back of my head on the floor!"

"He said 'See you later'?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry.

"Well, it sounds like he initiated... whatever it was," she said.

"Ma'am, we have a portkey signature," said another auror.

"Any idea where it went?" she asked the auror.

"No, Ma'am," he replied. "The trace has somehow been scrambled."

"Portkey, eh?" she asked. "And this young man did not approach the bed?"

"No, Ma'am," one of the aurors replied.

"Then, as he doesn't have a wand on him he couldn't have been responsible," she said. "Release him, and return his property."

"If you know where he is, young man," Amelia said to him. "I'll need to talk to him to make sure he's alright."

"If I can find him, Ma'am" replied Harry. "I'll be sure to ensure he contacts you to let you know he's safe."

Amelia nodded to Harry and said to the collected aurors, "Well, he's gone. You lot are clearly no longer needed here so you can head back to the office and process complaints."

Someone groaned.

"Enough of that," she said. "The holiday's over. Back to the office."

After all the aurors bar Amelia had left, she turned to Harry and said, "Okay, where is he?"

Harry smiled and said, "Potter Manor."

Amelia snorted and said, "I should have known. Just tell him to contact me. Loan him your mirror, if need be."

"I should have the floo connected to Potter Manor either by now or later this afternoon," said Harry. "I'm heading over there to check. If it is, I'll get him to contact you directly."

"Good," she said.

"Once it's connected, I'm locking it down to only receiving calls from Longbottom Manor, the Ossuary, your office, and the public floo in Diagon Alley, for now. But that last one is a temporary measure," said Harry. "I'm giving you and Madam Longbottom direct access."

"Is that safe?" asked Amelia.

"I trust you. I trust Augusta. That's enough for me," said Harry.

"Thank you... Harry," said Amelia sincerely.

Harry waved it off and said, "You're the Head of the DMLE. But, more than that, you're the only living relative of one of my fellow Heirs. If I can't trust you, I can't trust anyone. And, I don't want to live my life like that."

Amelia stepped closer to Harry, leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Without saying a word she then turned on her heel and walked out.

Harry was stunned. He didn't expect that at all. So he was almost a minute before he left the ward, himself.

# # #


	13. Harry's Change of Plans

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Thirteen - Harry's Change of Plans

Apparating into the parlour at Potter Manor, Harry dropped his glamour and bellowed, "Sirius!"

Pixie popped in alongside him, and said, "Hello Master Harry, Sir!"

"Hello, Pixie," he said courteously to the house elf. "Where's my so-called godfather?"

Sirius came walking in from the kitchen, munching on a sandwich. "Hey, Pup," he said.

Rounding on him, Harry snarled, "That wasn't bloody nice!"

Grinning impudently back, Sirius said, "Well, you had me tied to a bloody bed in the insane asylum. That could not go unpunished."

"I did not!" shot back Harry. "The bloody wizard doctors ordered that because you were ranting so bloody much!"

"Well," replied Sirius with a grin. "Oops!"

"Oops?" grouched Harry. "Do you know how long I was face down on the floor in your room with a wand to the back of my head?"

"Well, given that you're here now..." began Sirius, clearly trying to figure it out.

"That was a rhetorical bloody question!" snapped Harry.

"Okay," said Sirius, raising his hands in surrender, but still smiling. "I still think it was funny."

"Now," he continued, holding his arms out wide, "Come over here and give your godfather a hug."

Harry slumped his shoulders, but went over and dutifully gave him a hug.

"It's finally good to meet you in person, godfather," Harry said.

"And you, after all these years, Pup," said his godfather.

Harry sighed and said, "You need to talk to Amelia to let her know you're safe."

He walked over and tossed a bit of floo powder into the fireplace and called Amelia in her office. As promised, the floo was working.

"Madam Bones?" asked Harry. "It's me, as promised."

Sighing, Amelia said, "Put him on."

"Godfather?" asked Harry, stepping aside.

Sirius walked over and said, "Madam Bones, I'm sorry for what happened. I didn't mean to panic anyone."

Amelia sighed again and said, "Next time, leave a note. My aurors thought you'd been taken."

"Yes, Ma'am," said a contrite Sirius.

"Well, get out of here now," she said. "Get to know your godson. He's got a lot to tell you."

Sirius cut the connection and, turning to Harry said, "Now, I'm dying to know how you managed to prank the muggle Queen of England. Tell me everything."

"First," Harry said seriously. "I don't like the muggle word. I believe it to be a derogatory term. Please use either non-magical or mundane. And, second, Her Majesty is no mundane. She has magics of her own, they're just not the wand waving kind."

"Okay, Pup," said Sirius a bit sheepishly. "You're like your mother that way. She didn't appreciate the term muggle either. For her and for you, I won't use it."

"Thank you," said Harry sincerely. "And, just so you know, I don't like the terms muggle-born, or mud blood, either. Use mundane-born."

"I can do that," said Sirius.

Harry nodded and said, "Now, you need to know what's going on."

He walked over and settled onto a couch, waiting for Sirius to do the same. He began by saying, "Besides Her Majesty and some of her people, there are only seven other people who know the full story of what I'm about to tell you..."

Harry went through the background of his life and how it would have otherwise turned out. Then he went through how Myrrdin had pulled him out of normal reality and trained him. And how he managed to get in to see the Queen.

Pixie brought them both snacks while Harry was talking, and Harry had a pot of tea.

"Hang on," said Sirius. "You claimed Privilege of Peerage. What the hell is that?"

"That is when one of Her peers has the right to demand of Her, Her time, to discuss matters of importance," explained Harry.

"Her peers?" asked Sirius, quite confused. "How could you do that?"

Harry sighed and instead asked, "What do you know of what happened on the night my parents died?"

"That night is burned into my memory," replied Sirius with a sad scowl. "I'll never forget it."

Harry nodded and said, "Did you know that Voldemort was the last remaining heir of Salazar Slytherin?"

"No," replied Sirius. "I mean, I know he claimed to be. But we didn't believe him."

"Well, I've got news for you," said Harry. "He was."

"Really?" asked Sirius, surprised.

"Really," responded Harry. "And when Mum defeated and killed him with her magics with the spells and wards she placed upon me, she not only defeated Voldemort, she effectively defeated the entire House of Slytherin."

"But... that would mean..." spluttered Sirius.

"That she took over the House of Slytherin," finished Harry.

"However," he went on, "She defeated him posthumously. So, it immediately passed to me."

"So, you took over House Slytherin?" asked a shocked Sirius.

"More than that," replied Harry, holding forth his right hand and showing the ring of Slytherin. "I'm the Earl of Slytherin; Lord Slytherin."

"Damn, Pup!" said a very shocked Sirius, staring at the ring. "Damn! That would have to be the greatest prank of all time!"

"Now," Harry went on, ignoring the comment. "The reason I could claim Privilege of Peerage, is because the Earl of Slytherin is recognised in the peerage of the realm. The _entire_ realm; mundane and magical. Which means I have a position waiting for me in the House of Lords under hereditary peerage when I'm not going to be so busy elsewhere."

Sirius sat back in stunned silence and Harry waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"But, wasn't she upset you did that? I mean, you basically forced Her to give you audience," asked Sirius, once he'd collected himself.

"She was, until I gave her the names of the other three Heirs," said Harry calmly.

"You what?" exclaimed Sirius, shooting up straight in his chair and staring back in surprise.

"You heard me," replied Harry. "I gave her the names of the other three Heirs. Then she ordered they all be collected and brought before Her.

"In the course of everything that happened, I, and then the other three, were ordered by Her to take up out titles. Her magic overrode the magics of not being able to take up our Heads of House positions. The magic did the only thing it could do. It recognised Her Majesty's authority and immediately emancipated us.

"Because we were emancipated, we were then put in a position to take the rings of the Heads of Houses of our own Houses. And Her Majesty sealed it by ordering us to take those rings, as well. So, I'm now Lord Slytherin and Lord Potter," said Harry again showing his Head of House Potter ring.

"So, who are the others?" asked Sirius, still in a bit of shock.

"The new Earl of Gryffindor is Neville Longbottom, son of Frank and Alice Longbottom and grandson of Madam Augusta Longbottom. The new Countess of Hufflepuff is Susan Bones, the niece of Madam Amelia Bones. And, the new Countess of Ravenclaw is a mundane born witch named Hermione Granger. We are all starting our first year at Hogwarts this year," replied Harry.

"You're all eleven?" asked Sirius.

"Well, we'll all still be eleven on 1st September."

"What are the odds of that?" wondered Sirius.

"None, actually," stated Harry. "All four of us are the Children of Prophecy."

Harry went on to tell Sirius the prophecy and what they were tasked to do. He explained about the cubes, showing him the box, and what they were giving the other three Heirs. And he went on to tell Sirius about what he had been up to since he'd been back.

He then told Sirius about the mirrors and, withdrawing it from his satchel, offered Sirius mirror #11 together with the list of who had what mirror, and showed him how to use it.

"Please, take this serious, Sirius," he said and snorted. Sirius rolled his eyes. "And don't contact Sir Anthony, Sir David or Her Majesty. Those three are purely for emergencies only. Not even to prank them!"

"Okay, Pup," said Sirius. "I understand. I promise, I won't."

"Good," Harry nodded.

"Now comes the bad crap," said Harry continuing. "Voldemort's return and the horcruxes."

Harry explained how Voldemort was supposed to return and when. What the horcruxes were, and where they were. And what he needed Sirius to do.

"So, that's why you want me to kick Bellatrix out of the family. I get the heirloom contents of her vault and, with it, Hufflepuff's cup," said Sirius. "And Regulus found the locket a decade ago and put it in Grimmauld Place."

"Yes," said Harry. "I've already collected the ring. I can get Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, tiara, once I'm at Hogwarts. And I can kill Quirrell at any time. But I need to do it in such a way that old Voldy's spirit doesn't escape. The soul leech that was in my scar has already been removed by Myrrdin, so that just leaves the diary.

"Getting the diary off Malfoy, if all goes to plan, will occur when he slips it to Ginny Weasley, Arthur and Molly Weasley's youngest, when she goes to Flourish and Blotts to pick up her text books with her family shortly before 1st September next year. And I can take it off her then.

"The final horcrux, within Nagini, won't be made until the final piece of his soul is put into and possesses that baby. However, I think _that_ possession is actually the same spirit that escapes when Quirrell is killed. So, none of that should happen. If I destroy the other horcruxes before he tries that, there will be no existing soul anchors. His spirit will, instead, 'pass on'. Final death. No monster baby; no monster snake.

"To meet the requirements of the prophecy, all that has to happen is the one who destroys the last horcrux has to be me. By my hand. It says he has to die by my hand, not that I have to kill him. It doesn't sound like they differ, but they can by the method I've covered.

"You've got this all worked out, don't you?" asked Sirius with wonder.

"Myrrdin and I have been working on this for almost fifteen years," replied Harry. "Plus, we've got backup plans out the whazoo for as many contingencies as possible.

"The other bit of a shock is that, as Earls," Harry went on, "We four outrank every other so-called Noble on the Wizengamot. And they can't deny it of us. There's four identical seats currently hidden below the Chairperson's seat that will rise when we formally present ourselves as Lords at a Wizengamot meeting of our choice. A fifth is also there, for the Her Majesty's representative."

"You four are going to turn wizarding Britain on its head!" exclaimed Sirius.

"That's the idea," replied Harry. "We four are going to drag the wizarding world into the late twentieth century, whether it likes it or not. And we will have the full backing of the Crown while we do it.

"If the Wizengamot tries to physically stop us, Her Majesty's forces will, using the floo at the Palace, come through to the Ministry and take over by force."

"It sounds almost too much," said Sirius. "And all four of you are only eleven!"

"Well, we're only eleven now," replied Harry. "But I've got nineteen years of life under my belt. And all four of us will have knowledge _way_ beyond anything any other wizard has had since, pretty much, the days of Merlin."

"In the process of saving magical Britain from itself, I'm going to destroy both the leader of the dark and the so-called leader of the light."

"Damn, Pup!" said Sirius, more than little awed. "With that much ambition, you really are a Slytherin!"

"You know," mused Harry, "I thought you'd have a hard time accepting I won't be a Gryffindor."

"I did, at first, I guess," admitted Sirius. "But, you have your father's bravery and your mother's smarts. The two, together, I guess would best suit Slytherin. No matter how much I hate the idea."

"Slytherin House is not supposed to be the House of dark magic and purity it is today. Slytherin was misunderstood. And history is written by the victor," replied Harry. "Slytherin was worried, and justifiably so, that mundanes would fear wizards and witches. The burnings and drownings, the horrors of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries especially, were proof enough of that.

"However, part of the permission both Kings of Scotland and England gave for the creation of Hogwarts, and the reason all four Houses are Earldoms, is because the four founders promised to use their trained witches and wizards in the defence of both realms. Now that it's all one realm, we still owe that debt."

Harry shook his head, "So much that's gone wrong over the years. And so much lost. And four kids that haven't even reached their teen years are going to lead the drive to fix it. It's a crazy world."

Sirius snorted. "A bit full of yourself, aren't you?"

Harry chuckled, "And that's what I need you to be for me. The slave in the chariot who constantly whispers in the ear of the triumphant Roman general, 'You are not a God, you are only a man'."

"I'm a slave?" asked Sirius with a frown.

"No, it's an analogy," laughed Harry. "You're the voice of conscience. The one who reminds me I'm only a man."

"Oh, that I can do," said Sirius with enthusiasm.

Harry snorted and looked at his watch, then said, "The time's getting late. Pixie!"

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

"Pixie, it looks like we'll both be here for dinner tonight. Can you whip something up for the both of us?" asked Harry.

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir," the little elf replied. "Pixie already cooking!"

"Thank you, Pixie," said Harry with a smile.

When it was ready, Harry and Sirius talked about other matters while eating. One of which was Remus Lupin.

"You can trust him, Harry," said Sirius. "One of the reasons I managed to stay sane in that hell hole was the letters I'd receive from him."

"As far as I know, he never came looking for me, Sirius," replied Harry sadly.

"Oh, yes he did!" said Sirius emphatically. "He was constantly travelling right across the country trying to find you. Dumbledore refused to tell him where you were, but that didn't stop him looking."

Sirius sighed, "It's been hard for him. He had to keep going over to the continent to work in the magical community, because he couldn't find work here. Any work he did find here was in the muggle... err, mundane... world. As soon as he'd saved enough money, he'd be right back here searching again."

Harry said, "Well, Pixie tells me he sometimes comes past here, every now and then. If he comes again, the first thing he needs to know is NOT to contact Dumbledore and tell him where I am. Hell, don't tell anyone where I am."

"I think I can convince him of that, without a problem," replied Sirius. "He's really not happy with Dumbledore for not letting him see you, or even giving news about you."

Harry nodded and said, "Okay, I can accept that."

Looking at his watch he said, "It's time for me to go visit the other Heirs with their next cubes. I want to be earlier tonight in case they have any questions.

"Take one of the guest rooms and I'll see you tomorrow. I still need to return to the palace, tonight. If only to pick up my trunk, books and papers. Otherwise, I'll probably be moving here semi-permanently tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," said Sirius.

"Pixie!" called Harry.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

"Excellent meal, Pixie," said Harry. "Especially, since you didn't know you'd have two to serve tonight."

"Thank you, Master Harry, Sir!"

"I'll also probably be moving in and staying here for a while as of tomorrow, okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!"

Turning to Sirius, Harry said, "Oh, and Sirius?"

"Pup?"

"I have one more thing to show you," said Harry with a grin picking up his satchel.

"Oh?" asked Sirius with a quizzical look.

Still grinning, Harry crouched and leapt into the air, shifting to his earth phoenix animagus. He hovered there and watched Sirius's look of gobsmacked shock a few seconds before flashing to outside, redonning his glamour and apparating to the Longbottom Manor.

# # #

This cube was Magical Medicine, Potions & Herbology, He knew Neville, at least, would like it.

A quick run through the homes of the first two and he was at the Grangers. Dan sat him down in the lounge room.

"Lad," he began, "I used that cube last night."

Harry nodded and asked, "And, I take it you've been reviewing it through your mind today?"

"Yes. And I'm quite disturbed by it," replied Dan. "I understood those Death Eater folks are bad people. But, that cube shows they truly are terrorists. The Crucio Curse, while painful, is survivable. And I can understand the Avada Kedavra killing curse. In war, people die. But that Imperious Curse is just disgusting.

"But I noticed there are a number of others that, while they don't say they're in the Unforgivable set, are just as deadly. The Confringo Blasting Hex, the Entrail-Expelling Curse, the Reductor Curse, and a few more just to name a few."

Harry nodded and said, "Yeah, I know. I think I even killed Riddle in the original time line with a well-aimed piercing curse, right between the eyes. But, it's like anything else in the mundane world. A hammer can be used to bang nails into a board, or stave someone's head in. The Unforgivables, though, they're only good for one thing, really."

"Yeah, I get that," said Dan. "But there are just so many ways to kill people with magic."

"Nowhere near as many as the mundane ways," replied Harry with a shrug.

Dan sighed, "Stopping their Avada Kedavra spell, though..."

"Dan, most of their spells will be stopped by three important factors," said Harry. "One, it takes a few seconds to cast and they don't travel all that fast; so you can duck and cover. Two, the Unforgivables cannot travel through solid objects; so use something as cover. And three, ALL spells have to be cast within the range of the spell caster; and that's usually about no more than thirty feet away, so don't let them get into that range.

"You have weaponry that kills well outside that range, you can hide behind barricades, and you've each got an emergency portkey that you should be carrying on your person at all times. And the trace that'll be left will only show a scrambled destination. And, even if they know where you went, the wards I've now put on Potter Manor will redirect their butts about a mile out to sea off the south coast and about fifty feet in the air. They better know how to swim."

Dan snorted. "Yeah, and now that the MI5 security systems are operational I'll know they're coming well before they can come in and get to us. So they won't be catching us by surprise."

"That's right," replied Harry.

Dan thought about that for a while, then shook himself out of his... melancholy mood.

"Anyway," he said. "The other matter I wanted to discuss with you is your fitness levels."

"Errr... why?" asked Harry warily.

"If you're going to be doing a lot of jumping around to avoid being hit, and your magical stamina is linked quite a bit to your physical stamina, you're going to need to be fit to protect my daughter," said Dan.

'Oh, God,' thought Harry. 'I know where this is going.'

"So, now that the three heirs are all going great guns with the cubes without problems, you've got time to do something about your fitness levels," said Dan.

"Dan, I'm fine," said Harry a bit defensively.

"Fine and warrior fit are not the same thing," argued Dan. "So, starting tomorrow morning, you're going to be physically training with me... Future son-in-law."

Harry sighed. He knew what was coming.

"Now, I don't expect you to do the same level of exercise as me. But, I expect you to begin training with, say, twenty push-ups, twenty sit-ups, and a one mile run, to start," said Dan, warming into his subject. "Then we can see what we can do to get you a sidearm, and teach you to shoot it left-handed. Not a 45, mind; something more like a 25 calibre ACP round in a Baby Browning, will do for now. At least, until you can get strength built up in your wrist and shoulder.

"The Baby Browning is a small, lightweight weapon that doesn't have a lot of stopping power over any range. But, we're talking close range if you need to use it, anyway. Plus, it'll give you experience with a handgun before we move you up to a 32 calibre piece. Okay?"

Harry thought about it, and could see Dan's logic. Wizards know little about mundane weaponry, and have no idea how fast and lethal they could be in the right hands. Protego or solid object shield, or not, a good automatic can cause a lot of damage and get more shells down range than spells can be cast. Firing left-handed also had the bonus of leaving his 'spell hand' free to still be casting.

"Okay, I can see your arguments," replied Harry. "Plus, even if I don't hit them, the sound of the damned thing going off should cause them to break concentration for a second or two and allow me time to get a spell of at them."

"But," he went on, "what about the law regarding civilians carrying weaponry, especially concealed weaponry and handguns?"

Dan grinned and said, "I checked. There's an old law that states, as an earl, you're entitled to develop a military force in the name of Her Majesty. There's no minimal requirement for how many people that is. You can be a force of one."

"You've got your heart set on this, don't you?" asked Harry a bit sullenly.

"Yep!" replied Dan with great cheer. "So, tomorrow morning we'll start. You'll need to be here at about 8.00am. I'll then use your training as my cooling down phase from my morning workout. Sound good?"

"No," replied Harry. "But far be it for me to disappoint the father of Countess Ravenclaw. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Good lad!" said a grinning Dan.

# # #

Next morning, Michael came in to see him and Harry told him he'd be moving out that day.

"Do you need me to start packing your effects now, My Lord," he asked.

"No, a light breakfast first," replied Harry. "And then I have to disappear for about two hours. Major Granger is insisting I begin a physical fitness regime under his tutelage and I'm hoping it's not going to take longer than that. So, I should be back here directly after that to move everything to Potter Manor."

"Yes, My Lord," said Michael. "It has been a pleasure to aid you this past week, Sir."

"No, Michael, the thanks are all mine," replied Harry seriously. "You've been a godsend. Her Majesty was right. Staying in a hotel would not have been the best idea."

"Thank you, My Lord, for your kind words," he replied with a small bow and leaving the room.

Harry enjoyed a breakfast of a small bowl of bran cereal with a dollop of fresh fruit, a small orange juice, a cup of tea and a couple slices of fresh toast. Then headed off to the Grangers for a couple of hours of what he came to believe was Hell.

# # #

When he returned two hours later he looked quite bedraggled. Michael was waiting for him.

"Michael?" he asked.

"Yes, My Lord?"

"I believe the Major is trying to kill me and humiliate me at the same time."

"Oh?" the butler asked.

"He had me run, Michael. Lots," said Harry with a bit of moan.

"Running is good for you, My Lord," said Michael.

"But he wouldn't let up! He kept pushing me and pushing me," whined Harry.

"That would get the heart pumping, My Lord."

"I tried to get him to include Hermione, his daughter, in our future training," said Harry. "But he wouldn't hear of it."

"Oh?" asked the butler. "And why is that, My Lord?"

"He said, quite unctuously mind, that 'Countesses do not run'."

"That would seem to be a valid point, My Lord," said Michael, his voice beginning to sound a little strained.

"Yeah, maybe," sulked Harry. "But he didn't have to do it while running backwards in front of me! And, not even appearing to be out of breath while I was wheezing away like a leaky set of bellows!"

All Harry heard was a slight choking sound coming from his butler's direction.

"Michael? Are you laughing at me?" demanded Harry.

"No, Sir," choked the butler with a face that was beginning to flush.

"Well," Harry grumbled, a bit suspicious of his butler of this past week. "When I suggested maybe there was someone else he could recommend to help me train, he mentioned someone he called 'Sar'Major'. He also seemed to think that was funny. Do you think that sounds funny?"

"Excuse me, Sir," said the butler with a very strained rapid voice, leaving the room quite rapidly for the bedroom. "I need to get a change of clothes out for you!"

Harry had the impression the man had actually fled!

# # #

After showering and getting changed, Harry took all his belongings and headed for Potter Manor. There, he found out from Pixie that 'Master Sirius' was still asleep.

"Best leave him, then," said Harry to the elf.

Indicating his bags, he said, "Can you please put the trunk in the master bedroom? The duffel is for the office."

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!" chirped the elf.

She grabbed the trunk and popped with it out of the room, returning a few seconds later and popping out with the duffel.

Walking up stairs and entering the master bedroom, Harry called Pixie and asked, "What did you do with my parent's effects?"

"Pixie put them in a trunk up in the attic, Master Harry," she replied. "Is that O-Kay?"

"That's fine," said Harry nodding. "Does Master Sirius have any clothes to wear?"

"Oh, yes, Master Harry Sir!" said the elf excitedly. "Master Sirius used to live here before Master James and Missy Lily went away! He have clothes!"

Harry nodded again and said, "Good. But if he doesn't have enough, tell him he can have Master James's clothes."

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!" chirped the elf.

Harry went down to the study and pulled out all his book purchases. He cleared some of his parent's books off one of the bookshelves in the room and placed his purchases there.

Then he set up his typewriter and typing paper onto the desk, and used the two, now dead, message cubes as paperweights to hold down the typing paper. One for the blank sheets, and one for the sheets he'd already typed up for his book. He'd also come up with a better title for it, 'Harry Potter: In His Own Words'. It went straight to the truth.

He'd thought of starting to type where he'd left off, but changed his mind.

He grabbed about a half dozen of the still blank sheets and a pen. And he began to write. He needed to know what teachers he'd need in the school when they were ready to restructure the entire curriculum.

He thought about how many classes for students to attend, and when. It was important to recognise that idle hands will lead to mischief. He needed to teach the mundane-raised about the wizarding world and the magical-raised about the mundane world. He needed to instil a strong sense of ethics and morality in the students right from the start.

He thought about making the classes closer together with distances between classrooms arranged in a more logical and sensible fashion. He thought about separating the subjects where the students needed to use their wands so their magical cores weren't exhausted.

After an hour he had the subjects down, and what sort of teachers he'd need for each. He had started with what he knew was already there and built upon that. Some classes would be removed or moved to an elective. Some classes would need completely restructuring. But extra classes would definitely be added.

There would be:

Years Subjects

1 Ethics and Morality (new class)

1 Studies and Traditions of the Mundane World (class for magically raised students only)

1 Studies and Traditions of the Wizarding World (class for mundane raised students only)

1-5 Transfiguration (unchanged)

1-5 Charms (unchanged)

1 Chemistry (new class)

2 Chemistry and Potions (new double class)

3-5 Potions (restructured double class)

3 Mathematics (new class)

3-4 Physics (new class)

1-5 Defence (restructured)

1-2 Mathematics and Accounting (New class)

1-2 History of Magic (restructured and updated)

1-4 Astronomy (restructured to use the ability of the magical sky in the Great Hall)

2 Law

2-5 Herbology (restructured)

3-4 Meditation and Occlumency (new class - elective)

3-5 Care of Magical Creatures (restructured)

3-5 Technology & Technomancy (new class - elective)

3-5 Divination (restructured - elective - conditional)

4-5 Ancient Runes & Ley Lines (restructured and updated - elective)

4-5 Arithmancy (unchanged - elective)

5 Wandless, Druidic, Other Forms of Magic (new class - elective)

5 Supervised Self Study and Research (new class - elective)

6-7 Advanced Transfiguration (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Charms (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Herbology (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Potions 1

6-7 Advanced Potions 2

6-7 Advanced Defence

6-7 Advanced Care of Magical Creatures (restructured)

6-7 Advanced Ancient Runes & Ley Lines (restructured and updated)

6-7 Advanced Arithmancy (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Technomancy (new class)

6-7 Politics and Diplomacy (new class)

6-7 Business Principles (new class)

6-7 Curse Breaking (new class)

6-7 First Aid

That was a hell of a lot more classes added than he'd originally expected. Of course, some professors would cover multiple classes. But Harry knew he needed to bring in more teachers to fill all the slots. A lot more teachers. Many of them would need to be mundane-born, or at least raised and more-or-less living in the mundane world now.

He needed Sir David's help or he'd have to advertise. That was now a given. And he'd pay for the extra teaching staff out of his own funds, for now. Once the four heirs brought the school up to a decent standard, he could offer international students access. They could pay extra. But he was also going to get rid of the twenty-five percent discount offered pure-bloods. That, of course, would happen anyway when the laws were changed. But he could bring it in to the school early.

He made a list of what sort of mundane-knowledgeable teachers he'd need:

Ethics and Morality

Studies and Traditions of the Mundane World (Professor Babbage just didn't get it)

Chemistry

Mathematics

Accounting

Physics

Accounting

Law (a foot in both camps?)

Politics and Diplomacy

Business Principles

And he made a list of magical knowledgeable teachers he'd need:

Studies and Traditions of the Wizarding World

Chemistry and Potions (someone with a foot in both camps?)

Defence (replace Quirrell)

History of Magic (replace Binns)

Meditation and Occlumency

Technology & Technomancy (overseas?)

Curse Breaking

First Aid (Madam Pomfrey doubles?)

Wandless, Druidic, Other Forms of Magic

For those put on detention, a specific staff member for that with knowledge in:

Manners and Proper Behaviour

Equality and Respect

There would be no more useless detentions of cauldron scrubbing or the like. Detentions would be meaningful and suitable for the 'crime' committed.

Next, he set about rewriting the student's rulebook. He wanted ten rules that covered most major infractions. He'd ensure a copy was delivered to each student and their guardians.

1. Your wand is considered a deadly weapon. If you point it at someone, and that person has not given you prior permission to do so, it can be construed as an attempt to cause lethal harm. You may be treated accordingly by staff. Magical paintball within the paintball arena is not construed as an attempt to cause harm.

2. The derogatory terms 'muggle', 'muggle-born', 'squib', 'mudblood' and 'blood traitor' are banned anywhere on the grounds of Hogwarts, within the town of Hogsmeade, aboard the Hogwarts Express or Kings Cross Station. Use of those terms from this moment forth will cause you the immediate loss of five points minimum. You may use the terms non-magical or mundane, or mundane born.

3. Each student will receive a set number of points at the beginning of each year. If your points drop to half, your guardians will be notified. If your points drop to ten percent remaining, your guardians will again to notified. If your points drop to zero you can, and probably will, be expelled. Point deductions may be appealed in the first instance to your House Counsellor. If you're unsatisfied with the decision, you may appeal to your Head of House. The Head of House's decision is final.

4. Points may be earned back through academic reward or through working for the school in specified tasks. Points allocated will be fair.

5. Having fun is allowed. Having fun at the expense of harm to another is not. Exception: Within the rules of the game of any recognised sport including on the Quidditch pitch.

6. Criminal activity will be reported to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (DMLE). If the DMLE find you guilty of committing a crime, you may be expelled irrespective of the number of points you hold.

7. Any student expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will have their name submitted to the DMLE as no longer attending the school. If you do not attend a school you may quickly find your wand snapped and your magic bound.

8. The Heirs want you to be safe during your stay at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you discover a situation within the school or grounds you do not consider safe, report it to the nearest Professor, your Counsellor or one of the four Heirs immediately. A quick and accurate report may see you earn points.

9. The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hogwarts Castle and the grounds, are the property of the four Heirs. It is they, and they alone, who make the final decision on all matters relating to the school, the castle, the grounds and the students.

10. Irrespective of the decision of the Sorting Hat, in extenuating circumstances you may be resorted into another House by the Heads of the Houses. Their decision is final.

Once he'd done that, Harry sat back and sighed.

From the side he heard Sirius, "What're you doing, Pup?"

Harry was startled. He didn't realise Sirius was even out of bed yet. A quick check of the time showed he'd been working almost nonstopfor three hours.

Sighing, Harry replied, "Making a start on completely rewriting the school curriculum."

"Now, that's a lofty goal," said Sirius. "Why would you want to?"

"Because that's where the attitudes of magical Britain are first formed in the minds of the country's witches and wizards," replied Harry. "Their time at Hogwarts are their formative years. And it's _there_ they learn the vast majority of life in the magical community. If I can shape the curriculum I can shape their minds.

"I need to shape how the graduating students think about their place in the world in order to get them to stop being unknowingly seditious. Once I've got that sorted, I'm most of the way to enacting major change across the whole community."

Sirius snorted, "This was Merlin's idea?"

"Both of us, actually," replied Harry. "I think it was the idea we both came to when we were trying to figure out where to start. I remember saying, 'We need to start at the beginning, of course. Where else would we start?' and that led us to realising what an opportunity Hogwarts, as the only serious magical school in the United Kingdom, offered us."

"Not the Ministry?" asked Sirius, quite curious.

"Oh, we'll be working that end, too, of course," replied Harry. "Her Majesty is really quite displeased with Her Minister and the Ministry _for_ Magic. So, I know we have to make a start on that as soon as possible. I think she'll be... testy... if we don't."

Sirius snorted and shook his head. "Your father would be soooo proud of you, Pup," he said. "Here's you, about to pull the ultimate prank of all time, and you're just so calm and relaxed about it all."

"There's a mundane saying, 'Prior preparation and planning prevents poor performance'," said Harry. "And there was one _Hell_ of a lot of planning that went into this. Sure, I've hit a few bumps where things didn't go as expected, but they weren't anywhere near enough to rattle me or completely derail the plans."

"So, what's next in your grand plans?" asked Sirius.

"Getting you down to Gringotts, and then to Ollivander's," replied Harry. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Yeah, while you were in here writing up a storm," said his godfather.

"Well," said Harry, rising from his chair. "There's no time like the present. And I don't like the target that's currently on your back while you haven't taken your ring."

"Actually, before we do that," said Sirius a bit carefully, "Do you want to tell me what all that was about last night?"

"Ah!" said Harry, understanding. "You mean my animagus form."

"So, you are an animagus, just like your father and me," he said. "What was it? And how did you apparate while in the form?"

Harry smiled and said a bit proudly, "I'm an earth phoenix. And I didn't apparate. I used the inherent ability of the phoenix to... flash... out of here."

Sirius was gobsmacked. "You're a phoenix?"

Nodding and chuckling, Harry said, "Yeah."

"I didn't know someone could have a magical creature as an animagus," said Sirius with wonder.

"Why not?" asked Harry. "You're halfway between an Irish wolfhound and grimm."

"A grimm?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah, didn't you know?" asked Harry back.

"No, it never occurred to me," replied Sirius with a smile.

"Well," said Harry, changing the subject, "The Animagi Mutual Admiration Society is going to need to adjourn, for now. We need to get you to Gringotts and Ollivanders."

Sirius nodded, and led the way back into the parlour and the fireplace. "Let's get it over with," he sighed.

# # #

Coming out in the public fireplace in Diagon Alley, Sirius immediately headed for the bank. At all times he kept a wary eye out for anyone who might have had any intent to accost them. There were a lot of people quite upset he was no longer in Azkaban, and still thought him guilty. It didn't matter if the Veritaserum, and Dumbledore's confession, cleared him of all charges. They didn't want to be wrong in their original assumption, because it would make them look like idiots.

They made it to the bank without trouble and Sirius was soon on his way to see his Account Manager. Harry used the opportunity to speak with Blockrig.

In a private room and pleasantries out of the way, Harry asked, "What did you find out about the ownership of the _Daily Prophet_?"

"It's owned in shares by a number of members on the Wizengamot and other wealthy people and, in large part, by the Ministry, My Lord," replied Blockrig. "However, the Ministry share, while substantial, is still under twenty-five per cent. I have begun to make enquiries of the share holders, or their representatives, to purchase their shares. Would you like me to go ahead with that?"

Harry didn't hesitate. "Yes, and see how much of the share owned by the Ministry you can also acquire. I'm not against using bribes to garner those shares, either. Do it quietly and, if necessary, do it slowly. I don't want my hand tipped. I also don't want the _Daily Prophet_, if it can be at all avoided, knowing who the real purchaser is, just yet."

"Very good, My Lord," said Blockrig. "You want to be the majority shareholder but remain silent, until you're ready."

"Precisely," replied Harry.

"If I may ask, My Lord," said Blockrig, cautiously, "Is this part of your... destruction of Albus Dumbledore's reputation?"

Nodding, Harry said, "That forms part of it. But it also deals with my reputation, for when I come out of hiding. He who holds the attention of the masses, controls the conversation."

"I see," said the old goblin nodding. "And if you control the conversation, you control what is talked about, and what is not."

"Exactly," said Harry firmly. "Sometimes the quill truly is mightier than the sword. Especially, when you're the one holding the quill... and you know how to use it."

After concluding his business, Harry waited for Sirius to meet him on the main floor of the bank. He had to wait a while, though. When Sirius finally walked onto the main floor, Harry could see him staring at the Head of House ring on his finger.

As Sirius walked up to him, Harry said, "Good. It looks good on you, Lord Black."

Startled, Sirius replied, "This is going to take some getting used to."

"You were born for the role," replied Harry. "Now, shall we head for Ollivanders?"

Looking up, Sirius replied, "Yes, I think that would be for the best. I think it's going to feel good finally having a wand in my hand again after all these years."

Leaving the bank, there was still no sign of anyone who might recognise them. And they made their way down to Ollivander's. Sirius also told him he'd kicked out Bellatrix, Narcissa and Draco from the family. And reclaimed the family heirlooms, including the Hufflepuff Cup, from Bellatrix's vault. That was now safely in Sirius's vault.

"At least, once it becomes known, you're going to be safe from Malfoy trying to get you bumped off," said Harry. "Malfoy might try and argue the matter before the Wizengamot, but kicking them out of the family is not something so odd as to warrant attention."

Inside Ollivander's, there was no one else present. Sirius walked straight up to the counter and rang the little silver tabletop bell. Ollivander came sliding along the wall on a library shelf wheeled ladder, and hopped off.

Looking at Sirius, he said, "Ah, Sirius Black. I've been wondering when you'd be coming into my store. Ten and a quarter inch, oak, with a unicorn hair core."

Suddenly staring right at Harry, he said. "And you, Mister Potter. Are you here to purchase your first?"

"Ahhh... No," replied Harry. "I'll be back at the end of the month for that. Today is just for Lord Black."

"Of course," said the old wand maker, looking back at Sirius. "Let me see what I can do."

The old wand maker disappeared into his stacks before coming back with an old box. It was covered on top with a layer dust.

"Now that you've grown some," said Ollivander, "Perhaps a slightly longer wand, this time."

Opening the box and offering its contents to Sirius, Sirius removed the wand from the box and, holding it, he and Harry could both sense the power emanating from the match.

"Oak from the same tree, hair from the same unicorn. This time at ten and _three_ quarter inches," said the old crafter. "Repeat customers are almost always much easier." Turning to Harry he asked, "Are you sure I can't fit you for a wand now, Mister Potter?"

"I'm sure. Thank you," said Harry.

After paying for the wand, Sirius was followed out of the store by Harry, who looked back wondering how the hell the old man had seen through his glamour.

"Now, Sirius," said Harry, shaking off the feeling. "How about some decent clothes? Madam Malkin's or Twilfitt and Tattings?"

Sirius nodded and said, "Definitely not Twilfitts. I'll pick up a couple of outfits at Malkin's,but I'm happy enough wearing your father's clothes. We were very close to being the same size."

"Sirius, you're a Lord. You need to both dress the part and be seen to be dressing the part," said Harry. "Otherwise, other folks won't take you serious."

"Oh. Ha Ha," said Sirius with a straight face.

Grinning, Harry said, "Madam Malkin's, it is."

After buying some decent wizard wear, and including two top quality sets from Twilfitt and Tattings much to Sirius's disgust, Harry and Sirius went back to Potter Manor, The Pottery.

# # #

Once more back at The Pottery, and with lunch under their belts, Harry said to Sirius, "I had a long think about what you said last night about Remus."

"Yes, And?" prompted Sirius.

"I think you're right. We need to have, at least, a sit-down conversation with the man," said Harry.

"Good," replied Sirius.

"But I think you're going to need to be proactive in your search for him," explained Harry. "I think you're going to need to take out an advertisement in, at least, the _Daily Prophet_; and probably similar newspapers over on the continent. Just in case he's still over there."

Sirius nodded and said, "Yeah, that'd work. Where should he contact me?"

Thinking about it, Harry said, "Owls don't need to know where someone is to get mail through to them, right?"

"Right," replied Sirius. "So, just tell them to owl me at Grimmauld Place, and the owl will come here, anyway?"

"That's what I think will happen," replied Harry. "Unless, of course, you want to move back into Grimmauld Place. After all, it's your home."

"No, no, no," said Sirius waving his hands in a warding off gesture. "That may be the home of the Black family, but it's definitely not my home."

Hesitating, Sirius then asked, "Unless you're throwing me out, Pup?"

"Definitely not!" said Harry emphatically. "If this is where you want to live, then this is your home. I know Dad wanted that, at least."

"Thanks, Pup," the older man said gratefully.

"But," said Harry, "I need to know I can trust Remus before he finds out I'm no longer stuffed away somewhere. So, when he does contact you, tell him to meet you at the Leaky Cauldron, or someplace similar. I'll wear my glamour and be a friend of yours, we can figure out what to do then."

"Not a bad idea, Pup," mused Sirius.

Nodding, Harry said, "Okay, we'll do that, then."

# # #

Later in the day Harry said, "I'm still very uncomfortable with Dobby portraying me in the Durlsey house. I'm thinking of pulling him out early."

"Won't that put a crimp in what you want to do?" asked Sirius.

Still thinking, Harry replied, "No, I don't think so. You see, my biggest problem is going to be switching with Dobby during the early morning of Saturday, the twenty-fourth of this month, that could set Dumbledork's monitors off he has on the wards. Plus, it's that night the other Heirs are supposed to receive their final cube. I can get their guardians to actually activate the last one, but I really wanted to be there for it.

"Then, I either have to stay there for the next eleven days until the whole drama of Hagrid collecting me from the Hut-on-the-Rock at midnight, the morning of my birthday, and then spend the whole day with him doing all the buying of my school supplies. That would put me out of circulation for twelve days, and I really don't want to go through the whole charade of that.

"Then I have to switch back with Dobby for the month of August, before switching back for the final time on the morning of 1st September when Uncle Vernon drops me off at Kings Cross Station."

Sighing, Harry went on to say, "That's stupid. I want Dumbledore to be rattled and off his game, so let's _really_ throw him off his game. I'll send Pixie to Dobby to tell him, as soon as he receives the Hogwarts letter on the twenty-fourth, he's to walk out the front door to the street, run away and elf-apparate straight here with it. If there's any tracking charms anywhere on Dobby or his... my... belongings, I'll remove the damned things right away.

"Dumbledork's alarms will go off, but so what? When he goes to the Dursleys to try and find out what happened to me, the only thing they'll be able to tell him is that they sent me to fetch the mail, and I just walked out the door and away. Dumbles will then be frantic trying to work out what happened to me."

Sirius said, "Well, that'll save the elf from further abuse, but what then?"

Thinking a bit more, Harry said, "We'll set it up that I'll turn up a while later at Diagon Alley as Harry Potter. Say... about four to five hours later. I'll go to Gringotts - because that's where someone said I should go first - and then I'll come out and start buying my school supplies. I won't keep it a secret who I am; after all, I have no idea I'm supposed to be famous. Dumblebutt should, by then, have the Alley watched.

"He'll soon receive word from an informant Harry Potter's turned up in the Alley and will leg-it straight there to grab me. I'll scream bloody murder about 'the dirty old man who wants to drag me away and touch me in naughty places'. That will bring folks from everywhere to find out what's going on. Someone is sure to contact the aurors."

"You're currently looking for me and you... just happen... to also be in the Alley looking for information about me, when Dumblebum finds me. You run up to him and, not recognising me, you'll demand of him, 'Where's my godson, old man; where's Harry Potter?'."

"I'll say, 'I'm Harry Potter!' By then the aurors will either be there or very close. You _know_ you're my magical guardian as you read the Potter Will before my parents died so, if Dumbles tries to take me away - which he will, you'll scream 'kidnapping'. I'll _just happen_ to have a copy of the Will as the goblins gave it to me. I just won't say _when_ they gave it to me.

"I'm sure I can coach Amelia to snatch the Will out of my hand as soon as I brandish it, thereby stopping old Dumbles from doing it first, and we can go from there."

Sirius snorted and then laughed. "Dumbledore won't know what hit him!" he said.

"Besides," said Harry, "if Remus hasn't read the advertisement in any of the papers, by then; then the articles of how Harry Potter suddenly turned up in Diagon Alley out of the blue will certainly grab his attention."

"Definitely!" said Sirius.

Sitting back and thinking a bit more, Harry then said, "Yeah, this will work much better. Once I'm supposedly under your care, as far as Dumbles knows, you can then... supposedly... take me back to Gringotts to accept my ring as Lord Potter. Because, after all, it would be my parent's wishes as the last remaining member of the Potter line.

"That would then allow an investigation of the Potter accounts... led, of course... by the goblins and Madam Bones. That will get Dumbles well and truly hopping. And will mean I no longer have the issue of Neville or Susan allowing their Head of Houses rings to become public."

"That was a neat trick of convincing the goblins to do that, by the way," said Sirius.

Suddenly sitting up, Harry exclaimed, "Arabella Figg!"

"Pardon?" asked Sirius, surprised.

"Arabella Figg," said Harry. "She's a non-magical born to magical parents. What you _used_ to call a 'squib'. Dumbles has her watching the Dursley residence to keep an eye on me; and I suspect he's paying her from my trust fund to get her to stay there in a house just across the street from the Dursleys. I'll have Dobby not even bother to walk out into the street. He can come straight here very early on the morning of the twenty-fourth and I'll swap with him, clothes and all. The mail will arrive early enough.

"As soon as I have the letter, I'll run into the street and over to Arabella Figg's place. I'll be ranting and raving. And force her to tell me what the letter was all about. I won't give her a chance to think or to contact Dumbles until I get the information out of her. Then I'll say how 'Number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging is not my home!' and do as big a burst of _accidental_ magical energy as I can, and use it to cover my blowing the monitoring charms I'm sure Dumbles has placed on the clothes of 'Harry'. That should trigger the wards. I'll then run out of the house and flee down the street. As soon as she can no longer see me I apparate the hell out of there.

"She, the dutiful spy she is, will immediately try to contact Dumbledore and let him know what's happened. As school is not in session I think she's going to have a hard time doing that. When he finally gets word, he'll come looking for me and won't find me, of course. Then I turn up four to five hours later, as planned."

Laughing, Sirius said, "Damn, Pup! I think you've got yourself a grand prank."

"Okay," said Harry and looked at his watch. "It's Friday today, so I'll tell the other three Heirs and their families, tonight, I want to get everyone together tomorrow here. Hell, it'll give us an opportunity to test the emergency portkeys I made for the Grangers, while we're at it. I can apparate back here while they portkey here, straight after my training session with Dan."

"Then I'll lay out the new plan to everyone at once," continued Harry. "We can brainstorm it a bit more, together. I don't want the others to keep thinking I'm the only one who gets to make the plans. They've got skin in this game, and it's as much their decision as it is mine.

"Besides, it's about time The Grangers, Neville and Susan also got to meet you. They need to know who else is part of this little 'Save the World from Dumbledore' group we've got going."

"Yeah, I get that," said Sirius. "I'd like to meet them, too."

"Then, I'll let them know tonight," said Harry.

For the rest of the day Harry and Sirius talked a bit while Harry also spent time writing his book. Now that he had, what he felt was, a better plan for getting Dobby out of the Dursley house, he was able to relax and really concentrate on writing.

He may not now need the book as soon as he thought he would, but getting it written was an important step in letting the wizarding world know what sort of home life Dumbledore had dumped him into at the Dursleys. And also show the wizarding world he didn't live the life as a spoiled brat.

Enjoying another excellent dinner with his godfather, the two of them designed the advertisement they'd put into the wizarding papers home and abroad.

At the usual time, and after packing up all the school text books to take with him, Harry left for Longbottom Manor.

# # #

Walking in through the door, Harry greeted Augusta and said, "I'm not comfortable with leaving Dobby in the Dursley house any longer than necessary, so I want to pull him out early. Would you and Neville be able to floo to The Pottery, Potter Manor, at about 1.00pm tomorrow?"

Surprised, Augusta said, "Of course, My Lord. You've developed a new plan, I take it?"

"Yes," said Harry. "But I want everyone together to hash over it to see if they can find any holes in it. The Heirs should be a part of what we decide."

Nodding, Augusta said, "That would be wise. And I think it's the right thing to do, allowing the others to help plan."

A few more pleasantries and Harry activated the cube containing mundane medicine. The Heirs might not realise it, yet. But they'd have more than enough knowledge to sit the final year's medical exams for a university degree in the subject by tomorrow morning.

Harry then departed for The Ossuary, and invited them to the same meeting.

Leaving Susan with her cube of the same subject, he left for the Grangers.

At the Grangers he sat with the three and made the same invitation. He also gave the stack of school text books to Hermione.

Speaking to her , he said, "These are the current text books for all seven years at Hogwarts. I've already read them. Have a read through them, yourself... you can speed read now, of course... I'll pick them up tomorrow night or the next and then hand them off to Neville and Susan after that."

Turning to Dan and Emma he said, "Use the emergency portkeys to come to The Pottery, Potter Manor. It'll be an excellent practical test of the system. I'll bring you back after the meeting and reset them for you, so they're good to go again."

"A system test", said Dan. "Good idea, lad."

"Just, please be aware," said Harry, "the feeling of portkeying can be disconcerting. When you're not use to it, you can wind up on the floor at the arrival point sitting on your butt. You will, eventually, get used to it."

After a bit more talk about other matters, Harry gave Hermione her mundane medicine cube and headed back to The Pottery. Tomorrow was going to be... interesting.

# # #


	14. Dan and Emma's Shock

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Fourteen - Dan and Emma's Shock

Harry and Sirius enjoyed an early lunch after Harry had spent a lot of the morning after his training session writing. Sirius spent some of it reading what Harry had written of both the redevelopment of the Hogwarts' curriculum and Harry's supposed life story.

After lunch they waited until the appointed hour. Harry made sure Pixie was aware they'd be having guests over, and she could prepare snacks. He also put more mundane monies aside for Pixie's household shopping fund.

Amelia and Susan stepped through from the floo first, and a couple minutes later, Neville and Augusta came through. As Augusta was stepping through there was a sudden 'Pop-pop-pop' sound and, from the entry hall , came the sounds of folks not used to portkeying suddenly arriving.

Harry went in to make sure the Grangers were alright with Dan sitting on the floor muttering, "Oh, God!"

Hermione was giggling but said, "That was fun!"

While Emma moaned, "Ohhh... that was bad."

With Neville's help Harry had the two Grangers up on their feet, while Amelia helped Hermione up. Greetings and pleasantries were quickly exchanged while Harry led everyone back, or just into, the parlour. Harry had Pixie bring in some fresh juice and gave the Grangers time to get their... portkey... legs back under them.

Once everyone was settled down, and Sirius had joined them, Harry introduced Sirius to the Grangers, Neville and Susan; before taking a seat himself.

"Thanks for coming, everyone," he said. "It's now been just over a week since all this started and I felt we should all get together to discuss matters.

"Plus, as I explained to each of you, last night, I want to change how soon I pull Dobby out of the Dursley House," he said.

Emma said, "Good, because I have to admit I was very uncomfortable learning someone was being so ill-treated there. I don't care if they're not human; they still have feelings and can feel pain."

There were murmurs of agreement from quite a few others.

Nodding, Harry said, "And I couldn't agree more. That's why I've a better idea. One that will save Dobby from a further six weeks of that nonsense."

Harry went on to explain what he and Sirius had discussed the afternoon before. He outlined how it would send Dumbledore into a panic, at first, and then lead to his further embarrassment when he caught up with the real Harry in Diagon Alley.

He also put it to them all how he was going to have the goblins remove the suppression on the Potter Head of House and Black Heir's rings

"So, Sirius will be alerted by the rings I've taken up my Black Heir's ring, which will be the supposed trigger for him to race to Diagon Alley to look for me. Dumbledore will already have been alerted by his spies I'm in the Alley somewhere. I'll ensure he finds me in the middle of the Alley. He'll, of course, grab me with the intention of getting me out of there, and I'll scream bloody murder.

"Someone is going to put a call in to the aurors about some kid screaming how 'some dirty old man was trying to drag him away to have his wicked ways with him'. That will alert Madam Bones to bring a team of aurors with her to the Alley. And we play it from there.

"Dumbledore will, again, be publicly embarrassed. Sirius will be able to claim me as his godson and heir to all and sundry. And I'll be able to come out of hiding."

The first to speak, Augusta said, "It's perfect!"

Frowning, Amelia said, "I can't find a fault with it, other than to point out you're relying on Arabella Figg to contact Dumbledore in time; for Dumbledore not to be in the Alley himself at the time and intercept you before you go into Gringotts; and for him to have spies in the Alley."

"That's why the four to five hour delay before I head there," said Harry. "That's both more than enough time for Arabella to contact Dumbledore, but too long for him to spend the entire time wandering the Alley himself. There's still folks out there who want to... remonstrate with him about the owl interceptions. He won't want to be there too long. Hence, why I know he'll have spies there."

Thinking, Augusta then looked up and said, "How about I spend the middle of the day in the Alley to keep an eye out for Dumbledore. When he turns up, I'll know. And I'll also have a fair idea who he bribes, or pays, to alert him when Harry turns up. I'll let Harry know via mirror and he can then make sure the spy, or spies, see him and recognise him."

"That'll work," said Amelia.

"And if I wear a cap or similar, and keep it pulled down low, I should be able to get to Gringotts without being seen," said Harry. "Once I'm out of Gringotts it no longer matters how long it'll take Dumbledore's spies to spot me and alert him, and for Dumbledore to turn up. As soon as I leave Gringotts I'll take my cap off and make sure the scar is visible. Then I just wander from shop to shop collecting my school supplies and wait him out."

Augusta said, "And out in public you can brandish the Will. Dumbledore will be left to explain his 'will tampering'... which is yet another charge to lay against him... and it will also be discovered he wasn't your guardian, after all. So he had no excuse for stuffing you in the Dursley home."

"And no excuse for stuffing me back there later," finished Harry.

"You get your letter on the twenty-fourth," said Emma. "So, Dobby needs to remain for another week and a half."

"Better that than another seven weeks," said Amelia.

Emma nodded thoughtfully.

"Now," said Harry, taking the conversation again, "as I'm now going to come out of hiding, and will publicly have taken up my Potter and Black rings, that then gives Susan and Neville the opportunity to also show their rings; if you, Madam Bones; and you, Madam Longbottom, permit them to.

"If they come forward with their family House rings, the concept of having a Proxy comes into play. At the moment, Madam Longbottom, you're still carrying the role of Regent. Technically, that's not lawful. Madam Bones can always say she's only on the Wizengamot in her capacity as Head of the DMLE. But, it'll also mean another Proxy can be brought into play on 'our' side."

"I don't claim to be the Regent for the House of Longbottom, anymore," replied Augusta. "I now say I _represent_ the House of Longbottom. People can make their own assumptions."

"Oh, how very Dumbledore-ish of you," chuckled Harry.

"As for Susan, since the goblins have already blocked the rings, I'd rather wait until just before she boards the Hogwarts Express," said Amelia before turning to her niece and asking, "Is that okay with you, Susan?"

Susan nodded and shrugged her shoulders, "Yeah, I don't mind?"

"I think we should do the same with Neville. That way the Wizengamot will not be waiting for him to present himself," said Augusta.

"Yeah, sounds good," said Neville.

"But, I still want to keep the founders' heirs ring hidden until absolutely necessary," said Harry. "That would just raise too many questions until we're ready to deal with them."

"Yeah," said Dan. "I'd like to keep my little girl, my little girl, for a while longer, if it's all the same to you folks."

"I think we're all in agreement with that," replied Harry, looking around the gathering. He saw nothing but nods.

"Anyone else have any questions or view on that matter?" he went on to ask.

"No, but I want to ask about the cubes," said Hermione.

"Go for it," replied Harry.

"When do we start on the ones on magic?" she asked eagerly.

Harry laughed and replied, "You start tonight, actually. You all now have the wealth of knowledge of pretty much doctorates in Physics including both theoretical and practical, Mathematics, Law... both mundane and magical, traditions in both worlds, courtly behaviour, ethics and morality... which would earn you a PhD in Philosophy, mundane and magical medicine, potions and herbology."

"Wait," said Emma. "Did you say _doctorates_?"

"Yep," replied Harry. "Six of them, I believe, right off the bat. Add potions to the mix, with chemistry, and they wouldn't have much problem adding another half dozen. They can't get their doctorates in medicine because that requires a certain level of practical work, which they don't have... yet. However, it wouldn't take them long to pass it, considering they have perfect recall of all the rest of the medical knowledge."

"My God!" she exclaimed. "That's about twenty to thirty years of tertiary level study, just there!"

"Yep, and we're only halfway through", said Harry.

Continuing, he said, "Tonight we have technology and technomancy plus information on how to monitor your magical cores. You need that last one to make the heirs realise their magical cores have a limit, before I then give them the rest on magics. That's arithmancy, astronomy, runes and ley line magic; cantrips, charms, curses, hexes, transfiguration and conjuration; and wandless, druidic and a smattering of other forms of magic. The last three will then be weaponry, security systems, business principles, leadership, tactics, strategy, politics, diplomacy, and languages and communicating with other races.

"In there are PhDs in business, political science and languages. And, once magic is recognised by the mundane world, they'd be able to pick up PhDs in magic."

"You've revolutionised the education system of the world," said Dan with wonder in his voice.

"But, we can't market it," said Harry firmly. "Can you imagine what it would do to both the education industry and the risk you take with young children having the knowledge to blow up the world?"

Amelia, who was drinking a tea at the time, suddenly spluttered, "Blow up the world?"

"Oh, yes," replied Harry. "Mundanes already have the weaponry to blow up the planet. They've had it since the 1950s. Now, consider four eleven year olds running around with the knowledge to be able to do that, and add their ability to cast magic into the mix.

"With magic, you can easily split the atom without even really trying. Do that on a large enough scale, and you could set off a chain reaction that would annihilate the entire United Kingdom in one hit. That is the power witches and wizards have already. Giving them the knowledge of how to do that, add removing all sense of self preservation, and we'd all have been ash hundreds of years ago."

"And you want to give them," said Dan, indicating the other three heirs, "the ability to do that?"

"They already have it, Dan," replied Harry. "All witches and wizards do."

"That's one of the reasons why we have to get the wizarding world back under control," he continued. "Do you know what could happen if some idiot wizard gets it into his head to figure out why the mundanes are so big on Einstein's 1905 formula E=mc², and reads a mundane book or two on the subject?"

"Oh. My. God!" he said with a look of horror.

"Now," said Harry, "think of how many mundane born witches and wizards have gone through Hogwarts, have then been unable to find a life for themselves inside the magical community, and have returned to the mundane world and re-entered the mundane education system? Hell, kids in the early years of high school learn this!

"The rather large section in the fourth cube that covered ethics and morality, enough to earn them a PhD in Philosophy, and the section on logic in the third cube, means they now won't go off and try to do it for themselves. But that doesn't mean anyone else wouldn't. The fact it hasn't happened yet is more a miracle than anything else."

"I feel a little ill," said Emma.

"A witch or wizard, given the sort of knowledge a first or second year mundane high school student possesses, may get it in their head to decide to test Einstein's Theory. The resultant explosion can easily level a small house. And probably kill the witch or wizard who tried it, instantly. Now, have them split _multiple_ atoms on a much larger scale, and set it going as a chain reaction, and it would very quickly result in the total annihilation of the planet. Nothing left, anywhere, but free particles," explained Harry.

Dan groaned.

"Now give that knowledge to a witch or wizard who is insane," said Harry.

"Bloody hell!" groaned Dan.

"But here's some more examples to think of when I'm only talking about what students can learn to do at Hogwarts _before_ they graduate," said Harry. "Apparate in to any nuclear weapon facility and make off with a nuclear warhead. Apparate into any nuclear power plant and translocate the core, via a port key for example, direct and deep into the earth's mantle. Take a large body of seawater and compress it to the point where nuclear fission commences, and you've got yourself one hell of a large hydrogen bomb. Hell, create a massive amount of dynamite by transfiguring part of the earth's crust, and detonating it, or just wait until the damned thing heats up due to the molten core of the planet. In any of those situations you can crack the planet wide open. Boom! No more planet.

"Myrrdin and I know, giving the three heirs the knowledge to do it, does not mean they'll use it," said Harry. "Because the lessons they received on logic, ethics and morality won't let them. And that's why the cubes don't start giving them _any_ knowledge on magic except potion making until tonight. That's why Myrrdin and I organised the knowledge they're receiving and is given to them in a carefully orchestrated order. They have the knowledge but, at the moment, would have lacked the wisdom to use it _wisely_."

Turning to the other three Heirs, he said, "And when you get the knowledge on magic, remember, you're only eleven and your magical cores can't handle the drain much of the magic requires. If you attempt high level spells while your core is still quite underdeveloped, you'll quickly suffer magical exhaustion and end up falling down unconscious. It can take many days to recover from such an act. And I can't give you your next cube until you recover."

"I also know Hermione, for one," said Harry, looking at the young girl directly and smiling, "will try to figure out a way to use the magic in a way that won't cause so much drain on her magical energy reserves. She's welcome to try."

Hermione frowned but looked like she was taking the message to heart.

Brightening and straightening up, he said, "Anyone else have any questions?"

No one spoke.

"No?" asked "Then how about a report about our various projects we've been tasked with over the past week?"

And the gathering began discussing where they were up to in their tasks.

"On the matter of the mundane and magical laws, Harry," prompted Susan. "It's all just a giant mess. Where do we start?"

Harry thought for a few moments before replying, "Start with the ones that contradict, or are against, mundane law. And focus even further on the laws relating to equal opportunity and equality. Her Majesty is particularly miffed with those. Break them down, if you need to, into what doesn't need to be touched, what needs to be... altered, what needs to be removed from the books entirely, and what needs to be completely rewritten. Don't rewrite them yourself. We don't need to get that specific just yet. "

"Grandmother and I have been listing who on the Wizengamot are dark families, who are neutral, who would support Dumbledore, and who would support us against Dumbledore," said Neville. "But, that's more Grandmother's knowledge than mine. And she's working through it now. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Well, I've been looking at the school curriculum and rewriting the damned thing from the ground up," replied Harry. "I'll get you to go through what I've done and suggest some changes. Then the two of us are going to start looking at general lesson ideas for some of the new classes. Plus, I want to look at ideas to keep the students busy throughout the school year with after-hour activities. I know the four Houses have an inter-house Quidditch competition, but that only keeps a very small select few busy except on match days. We need a whole raft of other activities. Start thinking of wizard games the students can be involved in that'll burn off physical energy, especially ones that involve inter-house competitions. Idle hands lead to mischief, and I want no student to have idle hands for too long."

Neville, musing, said, "There are books about other sports and games I can look at for some ideas."

Harry nodded and said, "And there are mundane sports you may be able to adopt and give a magical twist to. I'll buy a few for you, and you can see if there are ways you can adopt any of them."

Sitting back, he said, "If that bores you after too long, you can also give Hermione and Susan a hand. Even between them, they're going to be busy for a long time with that job."

"Now," he said, leaning forward again. "How're you all coming along with your search for your animagus forms?"

Hesitantly, Hermione said, "I keep having visions of flying through storm clouds. But they tend to scare me, I'm afraid of heights."

"And I find myself running through the woods on four feet, really fast!" said Susan.

"What about you, Neville?" asked Harry. "I know you've been at it a lot less than the girls, but how's it coming along?"

Frowning, Neville said, "I just keep getting a sense of being low to the ground, and being really annoyed when something comes near me."

Surprised, Harry sat back and said, "Actually, that's pretty good, all of you. Myrrdin must be really helping."

"He's pretty boring on this subject, actually," said Susan.

"He's rather dry and... clinical," said Hermione.

"I actually like him," said Neville.

"Well, if you want to get help from another source, talk to Sirius, here," said Harry, indicating his godfather. "I think he'll be able to help."

Sirius sat up straighter and said, "Maybe... yeah, maybe I can at that."

After some more chatting about other matters, plus a decent afternoon tea provided by Pixie, the group broke up. Harry took Hermione back to the Granger home via apparation, Sirius took Dan, and Amelia took Emma. When Amelia left, Harry then reset their emergency port keys.

Dan, watching him for a little bit, said, "Thanks for those, by the way, Harry. And thanks for the test run. I was rather concerned about them, actually."

"Then you should have told me earlier, Sir," replied Harry.

Dan nodded and said, "You've been a busy lad. I knew you'd have time to do it eventually."

Harry sighed and said, "Dan, you and your family's welfare is my number one priority. If something concerns you, tell me!"

"Thanks, lad," said Dan. "But I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact you're actually a lot older mentally than you look. I'm getting there, though."

Harry and Sirius left a few minutes later with Harry saying he'd see them again that evening soon after 8.30pm.

# # #

Back at the Manor, Sirius said, "I wish you wouldn't be so casual about leaving hints I'm an animagus, Pup. I don't want it bandied about."

"With this group, I can't afford to be anything but entirely open with them," said Harry. "I need them to trust me, implicitly. Besides, you have nothing to fear from any of them, they're on your side, remember?"

"But, still," sighed Sirius, "I'm an unregistered animagus and Amelia Bones is the Head of the DMLE."

"So am I, Padfoot," replied Harry. "So am I. And, soon, so are those three kids."

"Plus," he went on, "don't you think Amelia and Augusta would like to know how to find their own animagus forms? That's something you can help with, if they want to know. They can't use the cubes like the other three."

Surprised, Sirius rocked back. "I hadn't thought of that," he said.

"Well, it's something to consider," said Harry.

# # #

That evening, Harry did the rounds with the Technomancy, technology and discovering your magical core cube. He was back home after one of the fastest pass-throughs he had yet.

Once home he decided to have a chat with Pixie.

"Pixie!"

*Pop!* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

I need to know if you know how to find a mundane... muggle... street address. Or if you can find another house elf for me, even though he's taking Polyjuice."

"Oh, Pixie don't know street address. But, if Pixie taken to a place, Pixie know how to find it later, Master Harry, Sir," said the elf.

"And what about finding another house elf, even when they're not bonded or they're taking Polyjuice potion?" he asked.

"Pixie can find house elf if Pixie has met them before, Master Harry, Sir," she said.

"Okay, then," said Harry. "If I take you to outside a place, can you go into the place and go where I tell you to find a Polyjuiced house elf?"

"Oh, yes, Master Harry, Sir!"

"Good," he said. "I'll apparate to a place in Surrey. I'll then call you. You come and I'll point the house out to you, okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!"

"Fine," he said.

Harry apparated to the laneway not far from Privet Drive and donned a Disillusionment Charm. Then he walked around to Privet Drive and stood not far from Number 4.

"Pixie!" he called softly.

The little elf popped in to existence alongside him.

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

Pointing to Number 4 he asked, "Do you see that house over there?"

"Oh, yes, Master Harry, Sir!"

"That will be the house I want you to come back to when I tell you to go to Privet Drive. In the cupboard under the stairs is a little house elf named Dobby. He's taken Polyjuice Potion to look like me. I want you to come back tonight and bring him food and a message from me, okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!"

"Good girl," he said. "I want you to go back to Potter Manor, for now. I'll see you there shortly," he instructed.

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir!"

And the little elf immediately popped away. Harry waited for a few moments to ensure there was no one magical watching him. Then he walked back to the laneway and apparated back to the Pottery.

Once back, Harry set about writing down his instructions for Dobby, so he had it fixed in his mind.

Calling Pixie back to him, once more, he told her what to tell Dobby and told her to take food with her to him as he'd been locked in the cupboard for three weeks already. She was also to make sure he had enough food and was to visit him in his cupboard at least once every three days until the morning of twenty-fourth of July.

Pixie left straight away and was back about fifteen minutes later.

"Dobby knows," she said. "Dobby will wait for letter and come straight here as you said."

"Thank you, Pixie," said Harry, relieved that another problem would soon be resolved.

Pixie popped away.

# # #

Back into a normal 'work' week and Harry continued to write his book. His typing was becoming much improved and he was starting to knock pages over at a decent clip.

Sometimes he'd have to go back and add a section he hadn't thought was that important at the time he was writing it. Later, he realised it was integral to another part of his life, so he had to add the missing section. He knew he'd have to retype the whole thing over again, once he'd finished. But, for now, he just added sections by typing it up and pinning it to the sheet where the missing section belonged.

Part of the problem of having an eidetic memory wasn't so much trying to recollect everything, as trying to sort through everything for the nuggets of memory that were important, against almost all the memory which wasn't. Think of it as writing an executive summary of half a page from a folio of over a thousand pages.

He had also given more thought to when he would have the book printed, as he didn't want Dumblebutt tipped off by someone in the printing company. Then he realised he could avoid that entirely by going to a mundane publisher. He'd just tell them it was a fictional account of the life of a small boy, and that he only wanted a modest print run to start with. Once he had enough for the entire student population he'd hold off on having more printed until he was ready for the rest of the magical community to learn about what happened to the boy known as Harry Potter at the Dursley residence.

Then he'd send it to a publisher in the magical world with an addendum: '_This is an account of the life of the boy known as Harry James Potter, the so-called boy-who-lived, as written by Harry James Potter. Any other works ever written about my life are _pure fiction_. I have _never_ been interviewed by anyone looking to write a story about my life. I have _never_ endorsed a product, no matter what a manufacturer may advertise. If a manufacturer says I endorsed their product, _they're lying!'

By Thursday morning the other Heirs had finished the last of the four cubes focussed on magic. There were just three to go, and these focussed almost entirely on mundane matters - except for magical security systems and the language of the goblins and a couple other races.

Sirius had let him know that both Susan and Neville had contacted him for advice of nailing down their animagi forms, but Hermione hadn't yet. Harry wondered whether it was because of her fear of heights, or she felt she was making fast enough progress. He'd check with her that night.

Harry had also, as promised, attended the Granger residence every morning to go through a morning training session. Just this morning, Dan had brought a small 25 calibre ACP automatic.

Though, he had the knowledge of mundane weaponry, this morning was the first time he'd actually held a handgun in hand. It was small, but Dan assured him it was only until he was able to hold a larger calibre. Sure, there was little if any stopping power in the gun; but, that wasn't the point. Magicals didn't use mundane weaponry. Having a handgun, one he can use left-handed, was extra fire-power. Besides, he was interested in finding out how well a Protego Charm could stop a bullet; or, even if it could.

Things were progressing well, but it meant Harry was beginning to feel bored. When he was with Myrrdin, every moment not spent sleeping was spent doing one activity after another. He even read, or they talked, while eating.

Ever since he arrived back at the beginning of the month he had very few moments where he wasn't either sleeping, acting or planning to act. This... waiting... grated on his nerves. He'd pace if it was in his nature to do so. He only did that when he was really angry. Being bored because he lacked something on which to focus only really had one answer. He meditated.

He was clearing a space on the floor of the parlour to give himself some breathing room when his mirror vibrated. Pulling it out and flipping it open he saw Hermione.

"Hi, 'Mione," he said. "What's up?"

"Hi, Harry," she replied. "You know how you said on Sunday I was welcome to try the spells if I could figure a way to use less energy from my magical core?"

"Of course I do."

"Well, is it still okay if I can do that?"

"'Mione," he replied and sighed. "Just don't do anything that's going to cause you harm, okay?"

"Oh, I'll be careful," she said. "I'll make sure I do all the arithmancy. But I'm going to cross check it all against modern mathematics."

"Okay, but nothing dangerous, right?"

"No, Myrrdin taught you, and us, better than that," she said.

Harry nodded and said, "Well, I did say you're welcome to try. So, have at it. Just don't forget to continue to meditate on finding your animagus form and working with Susan on going through the laws."

"Of course not," she said, clearly put out by being reminded.

"And don't do anything dangerous!" said Harry.

"No, Harry; I won't," replied Hermione, with a roll of her eyes.

"Okay, then," said Harry, I'll see you tonight."

After disconnecting from Hermione, Harry held the now normal mirror in his hand and sighed. "Well, there goes any chance of calming myself enough to meditate," he muttered to himself.

He headed out the back of the manor and sat on the back step for a while. He was trying to work out something to do but couldn't think of anything. So, he rose from where he was sitting on the back step and walked towards the back of the property.

Looking over Pixie's garden beds and chook enclosure, something was gnawing at his thoughts. He pondered it for a while. Then it came to him. He knew how to keep Hogwarts' costs down while also creating both a way for students to earn back points _and_ run a business for those seeking to earn a Mastery in Business Principles. He'd have a farm at Hogwarts!

'Yes!' he thought. 'It can be on the small scale, of course. Cultivate a decent enough sized vegetable garden with fruit trees to feed the student body, run some sheep for meat, some cows for milk and meat, run some chooks for eggs and meat, run some pigs for meat. It would work! There was plenty of land at Hogwarts not being used.'

Now with the idea in his head, Harry ran back inside to his desk and began to figure it all out. He needed to talk to someone about how much fruit and vegetables the students would consume, how much meat, eggs and milk they'd go through, and then determine how much of Hogwarts' land he could set aside for it. Okay, he couldn't use the lake and stock it with fish because of the merpeople and the giant squid, but the cost of fish was nothing compared to the cost of the other meats.

The elves could look after the farm while students weren't there, because they didn't have to do so much castle work while said students weren't in residence. They'd be pleased to have something to do. And the students can earn points, learn to run a business, and how to put in place a production plan, all of the back of it. The added bonus would be a huge reduction in the costs of feeding all the students for the nine months of the year they'd be in residence. That would be a significant saving on outgoing costs.

In his excitement, Harry decided to go and check out the grounds immediately, so he had an idea as to where the Hogwarts Farm could be located. It had to be close enough to the castle not to mean the students had to tramp long distances just to get there, but far enough away from the Forbidden Forest not to allow the denizens in there to raid it as they pleased.

Harry switched into his animagus form and phoenix-flashed to the skies well above Hogsmeade. Then he did the same skirting of the wards he did the last time he was there, but more intent, this time on looking at all the open grassland around the castle. He found a small vegetable garden next to the castle, but it wasn't anywhere near the size they needed. He thought they might have been magically inducing the vegetables to grow at a faster rate. It could be the 'reserve' vegetable plot. The best place for a new and bigger one was located around the Quidditch pitch, and out towards the boundaries of the warded land.

However, the land out there actually extended well beyond the wards; so, he'd see the other heirs about pushing the wards further away out there.

He, again, had that strong sense of yearning from the castle he felt last time. An eagerness from the castle he enter it. Sighing, Harry flew off and phoenix-flashed back to the Pottery.

Back at the Pottery and a few more notes about the information he'd need to make the castle self-sufficient for food, or as close as possible, and he had the concept down on paper. He'd see someone who was used to feeding a large body of children about just how much food said children and staff combined would need.

As soon as he thought about it he knew the answer. He needed to find the information out from a mundane school with the same problems. Sure, wizard children ate a bit more because of the energy they expelled through their magics, but about twenty-five percent should just about cover it.

He wrote a letter to Sir David Smythe-Umpton asking him to find out the information for him. He needed to know how much food he'd need to farm; how big the farm would need to be, and how much under crop, how many of each animal he'd need, how to accomplish that in the south east Scotland coastal area - taking consideration of how much snow they'd get, etc.

Oh, yes. Snow. Some permanent charms and runic work to keep the temperature in, and a little around the crops, to maintain a moderate to warm temperature... Yes. Something to ensure it didn't cause a near permanent fog from developing from the warm ground about the crops while the rest of the land was frozen and buried under snow...

He'd drop a letter on Sir David's desk for something about the mundane aspects. And might set Neville, with his gift for herbology, working on with the magical aspects. Neville was still at him about getting a serious project to do. This should do it. He'd discuss it with him tonight by turning up a little earlier than usual.

'I love killing multiple birds with one stone,' he thought. 'Especially, when the birds are this big.'

# # #

That night he arrived at Longbottom Manor early, and had the opportunity to discuss his idea with Neville.

Neville quickly went through the outline and said, "I like the idea of large fallow land being cultivated for crop, and the idea of running some chickens and that for soil fertilisation and eggs. But, do you really want to bring in animals that'll be slaughtered? Some of the students are going to 'adopt' those animals, give them names, and stuff like that. Then you're going to send them off for slaughter?

"I can see it now," he continued. Then, using a little girl voice, "Excuse me, Professor? Have you seen Fluffy the little baby sheep? He's been missing for two days," and, in a sterner adult voice, "No, Miss Smith, I have not. Now eat your lamb chops."

Snorting, Harry said, "I didn't think of that."

"And why are you thinking of charms work and the like that'll require them to be recharged so often?" asked Neville. "Use wards. You can use wards to do everything you want to protect the crops. They can be insect repellent for all bar bees and the like for pollination; they can be used to keep out foraging animals, they can be used to pen in animals, such as chickens; they can be used to keep the area within warm during winter; and they can be powered by the same major nor-west to sou-east ley line from which the main Hogwarts' wards are powered."

Harry replied, "I didn't think about that, either. But what about the loss of ley line magic that'll do to the main wards?"

"If you need to ramp up the power for the main wards during emergency situations, it's a simple matter of redirecting the energy from the crop wards to the main wards through a simple magical shunt. It'll also provide even more power to the wards than they have already," replied Neville. "Merlin, Harry. You're over thinking it."

"Damn, Nev!" exclaimed Harry, realising his friend was right. "I knew you were the bloke to do this."

Neville grinned and said, "As for paying for meat. That's easy. We've got all these greenhouses, of which only a few are currently in use. Get them all operating on growing plant-based potions ingredients and we can sell them off to buy the meat and milk. If necessary, we can build more."

Harry laughed and said, "Definitely the right bloke for this! Okay, it's yours. Design the wards and work out how you're going to do it. Remember, it's also a way for students in detention to be given productive work, for students to earn back lost points, a way to keep the house elves active while the school is shut down, and for the school to become, at least in part, self-sufficient."

Neville grinned back and said, "Yeah, I like it. Thanks, Harry. I can do this."

"I know," replied Harry. "And you've already surpassed the idea I had with a much better one with only a minute of thought. Once you get tomorrow night's cube, the one on business principles, you'll be able to go to town on how to set it all up as a self-sustaining business. For now, though, just give thought to what you're going to put up as wards."

"What about creating the wards in the first place?" asked Neville. "We don't have the magical core to be able to set it up, ourselves."

"That's what the staff are for, Nev!" replied Harry with a grin. "As you said, though, once it's set up it just needs to be anchored to the ley line. As long as someone on the staff can redirect it's power to the main wards, it doesn't matter how many of the staff will have to be involved in providing power to get it running."

"Well, that'll make it easier," said Neville.

"If you need help with it," said Harry, continuing, "Hermione has already asked me if she can look at how to make spells less energy draining on the magical core. Talk to her and see if she can solve any energy hogging problems you encounter."

He further said, "I think she's looking at the magical energy drain on some of the higher spells. I'd rather she directed those thoughts to something like this, than towards seeing if she can reduce energy drain, or adding further power, towards a spell such as a blasting hex."

"Oh, that could be bad," said Neville, thinking about the damage such a spell could do.

Harry nodded.

"Oh!" said Neville suddenly perking up. "I think I know what my animagus form is!"

Surprised, Harry said, "Okay, what is it?"

"I'm a badger, believe it or not!" said Neville laughing. "The Hufflepuff mascot!"

Grinning back, Harry said, "Okay, when you have time, I want you to come over to the Pottery and Sirius and I can help you through actually making that image you've got become a reality. Once we help you through it the first time, each time after that will become easier until you can do it with barely a thought."

"Okay," replied Neville. "Sounds good."

"The last one to attempt to find their animagus form, and the first one to find it," said Harry, grinning. "That's pretty good, Nev!"

Neville grinned back, quite excited.

"Now we need to confirm it," said Harry. "What I want you to do is meditate but remain in your human form. Find a clearing in the area wherever you are, and sit in the middle of it. Back in your meditation pose. While you're there _call_ your animagus form to come to you. You'll be able to see it in its full form. Touch it, and you should feel yourself _merge_ with it. In the meantime I'm going to buy the biggest encyclopaedia of animals I can find."

"I can do that?" asked Neville. "I didn't know I could do that."

"Nev," replied Harry, "it's your meditative state. You're a god there. You can bend your will to anything. Think about what you did when you were building your mind palace."

"Oh, yeah!" said Neville.

"Anyway, cube time. I've still got to visit the others yet."

# # #

After leaving Longbottom Manor and visiting Susan at Bones Manor he asked her, "And how's your animagus form coming along?"

Susan, thoughtful, said, "I think I'm some kind of dog with a long muzzle. When I look down I see paws, but everything is brilliances of grey. I don't know what sort of dog, I am. But it feels big."

Just as he did with Neville, Harry said, "What I want you to do is meditate but remain in your human form. Find a clearing in the area wherever you are, and sit in the middle of it. Back in your meditation pose. While you're there _call_ your animagus form to come to you. You'll be able to see it in its full form. Touch it, and you should feel yourself _merge_ with it. In the meantime, and as I've already said to Neville, I'm going to buy the biggest encyclopaedia of animals I can find."

Nodding, Susan said, "Yeah, I can do that." Perking up she also said, "Can dogs see in the dark?"

Shrugging, Harry said, "I have no idea. But, Sirius might know. He's quite knowledgeable about those sort of things."

"And there's also something weird going on when I'm in dark shadow. Everything seems to blur a bit and I think I'm moving a lot faster."

Nodding, Harry said, "Well, let's find out what sort of animal you are, and we can work out the rest from there. Once we know what animal it is Sirius and I can help you through the first transformation. We'll work out the rest from there."

Susan said, "Okay, Harry."

"Now, how are your other projects coming along?" he asked.

"Slower," she replied, with a frown. "Hermione says she's working on something else, so she's not helping as much. But she still helps out when I specifically ask her to."

Shaking his head, Harry said, "That's okay. The law is going to take a very long time to sort out. There isn't a big rush on this. If you want to work on something else, for a while, do so. I know how boring the law can be."

"The law isn't boring!" she retorted. "It's really very interesting, and I'm having fun with it. I like going through all the laws and seeing how I can make them better."

Holding up his hands in a warding gesture and laughing, Harry said, "Okay, I yield! It's fun and interesting for you. But that doesn't mean it's so much for everyone else, okay?

Grumbling, Susan said, "Okay."

"Now, you've received all the cubes on magic except the one on magical, and mundane, security systems," Harry said. "That's tonight. Is there anything you want to ask me before we start that cube?"

"No," she said. "I think I've covered everything."

# # #

At the Granger residence he found Hermione sitting in the lounge room with a stack of paper sitting on the coffee table in front of her. She was madly writing away with arithmantic formulas and calculus mathematics. Emma was sitting in the chair opposite looking a bit frazzled.

"Okay, what's going on?" asked Harry.

"She's been like this for hours," replied Emma. "She's had dinner but just about shovelled the food down her throat trying to get it over with so she could return to this," she said with a wave of her hand gesturing towards the stack of paper.

Harry looked at Hermione, who still hadn't paid him any attention. He reached into his satchel, removed one of the old cubes he still carried around, and lobbed it to land on the paper in Hermione's lap on which she was still madly writing away.

"Oi!" he called.

Looking up, Hermione said, "Huh?"

"'Mione, you're losing yourself in the work," he said quite sternly. "We've talked about this, remember?"

"Oh, Hi, Harry. Yeah," said Hermione ranging through the emotions of surprise, pleased and glum in a couple of seconds.

"I know you're really excited about what it is you've learned, so far," said Harry. "But, you need to remember to pay attention to what's going on around you, at the same time. Stop shutting people out!"

"Sorry," she said. "I've just been working on something really hard and I wanted to get it finished before you arrived."

Moving to sit down, Harry sighed, "I take it you've got some idea about magical energy conservation in spells?"

"Oh, yes," replied Hermione, clearly excited. "I've already gone through the arithmancy for it. Now, I'm just refining it with proper mathematics. Did you know it's all about high energy physics?"

"Yeah, I did," said Harry. "But there's _plenty_ of time to work on it. You need to spend as much time, as possible, speaking with your parents before the first of September. First and foremost, enjoy their company while you can."

"Sorry, Harry," said Hermione, downcast.

Harry sighed and said, "I've told you before, 'Mione; you're the brightest, smartest witch I've ever, and _will_ ever, know. You don't need to prove it to anyone. You _definitely_ don't need to prove it to me."

Hermione scrambled out of her chair and threw herself into Harry's lap and hugged him. "Thank you, Harry."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Harry blushed from his toes to the tips of his hair while Hermione then leaned her head of his shoulder.

"Ummm... ahhh..." he stammered.

Dan just snorted while Emma smiled and blushed, herself.

"Pumpkin," called Dan softly. "I think you should climb off Harry, now."

"Okay," replied Hermione. She climbed back off Harry's lap and returned to her own chair.

Clearing his throat, Harry then said to her, "Susan tells me you're not helping her as much with the laws."

"I didn't mean to," she replied. "I just..."

"You just got carried away with the project on the coffee table," finished Harry. "I get that."

"Do you think I should apologise?" she asked.

"That's entirely up to you," he replied. "Do _you_ think you should?"

Frowning and biting her lower lip, she said, "Yeah."

"Then apologise," said Harry. "Friends and family do that with friends and family."

"Okay," she said softly.

Harry nodded and then said, "Now, your animagus form. How's that going?"

Frowning in thought, she replied, "I'm definitely a bird of some sort. But it keeps flying very high in amongst storm clouds. It scares me and I keep losing focus."

Harry nodded and said, "Then I'm going to suggest what I've already suggested to the others. What I want you to do is go into your meditative state. But, do it in your human form. Picture yourself outside on a wide open field, or lawn.

"Once there, and you have everything perfect, I want you to call your animagus form to come to you. That is, call it to meet you. Ask it to land in front of you.

"Once it's there, get to know it. Picture it in your mind. Then switch places with it, if you can. When you drop out of your meditation you'll have it pictured in your mind. Then we can go through zoology books and find it."

"Okay, that sounds good," she replied with a nod.

"If it is a bird, and it sounds like it most definitely is, I'll help you with it," explained Harry. "I won't let anything bad happen to you, I promise."

"Thank you, Harry," she replied.

"Now, it's getting late," he said, changing the subject. "Let's get this third last cube going, okay?"

Nodding, Hermione rose and headed for her room to get changed.

After she'd gone upstairs, Harry sighed and said, "She's just so damned focussed."

"I told you, she's in love with you already," said Emma softly.

Harry blushed again.

"You know, you're cute when you do that," she said with a big smile.

"I'm _eleven_, ma'am!" retorted Harry

Dan shot back, "With the mind of a _nineteen_ year old!"

Harry snorted. He had no response for that.

Saving Harry from further embarrassment, Emma said, "Hermione should be ready by now. I think we should head upstairs."

She rose and led Harry and Dan up to Hermione's bedroom.

After activating the cube, Harry left shortly thereafter.

Returning back to the Pottery, Harry was still feeling a bit keyed-up from his time with the three other Heirs and their families. So he decided to go for a bit of a fly in his animagus form around the Great Woods where the Pottery was hidden.

He was also making sure he had everything perfect, and that his flying was great. He knew he'd be the one who had to take Hermione up into the sky, once she was able to assume her form. He had to get her over her fear of heights if she was to make the best of her form.

# # #

The next morning, after his training session with Dan, Harry made another trip to Diagon Alley to visit Flourish and Blotts to pick up as many books on magical creatures as he could find. He eventually came away with a single huge tome on every magical creature they knew to be in existence.

Then he headed out into mundane London and went to a large bookshop out there that stocked many non-fiction texts. There, he found a large volume designed for university veterinarians that contained the largest range of non-magical animals. He even picked up a high school biology text, just in case it contained anything not covered in the other.

Back at the Pottery and he read up on the various dogs and badgers. Then he went through the magical creatures book and stored that in his memory.

"Sirius!" he called.

"In here, Pup!" he heard from the kitchen.

Walking into the kitchen he found Sirius working at cooking something.

"What on earth are you doing?" he asked.

"Pixie's teaching me how to cook," replied Sirius.

"Okay," said Harry. "Why?"

Sirius shrugged and said, "It's something to do, I guess. Besides, I've always wanted to learn how to cook."

Thinking a bit, Harry said with concern, "Padfoot, if you're bored here and there's something else you want to do; please, go and do it."

Looking back, Sirius said, "Pup! I'm happy, okay. I'm having fun."

Sighing, Harry said, "Well, if you're sure..."

With a firm nod Sirius replied, "I'm sure!"

Thinking for a moment, Harry then said, "There is something you can do for me, though."

Curious, Sirius asked, "Oh?"

"I think Neville now has the set of all the textbooks for Hogwarts this year. I'll get the ones that cover Defence against the Dark Arts. I want you to read them all."

"Why?"

"Because, within a couple of days of school starting, Hogwarts is going to need a new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor," he explained. "And I think, with your experience fighting Riddle and his cronies back in the 70s, you're the perfect choice for the role."

Shocked, Sirius asked, "Why? I haven't even been practicing since I got out of Azkaban. And, before that, it's been close to ten years since I had a wand in my hand."

"I know," replied Harry with a bit of a shrug. "But you're one of the few wizards still around who has just so much actual combat experience. You've _lived_ it. That can't be taught. And you've got a few weeks to get your skills back with a wand.

"Besides, that. You're still a target for those Death Eaters and Riddle supporters who have a grudge to settle with you. You need to get your skills back, and they have to be sharp."

Sighing, Sirius replied, "Yeah, I guess I've been putting it off long enough, haven't I?"

Harry nodded and replied, "And I'm sure Dan would like some training in how to use his mundane talents and weaponry against a trained combat wizard. Get in contact with him by mirror when you're ready. He'd really appreciate it, and I'm sure you two are really going to hit it off."

"That's actually a really good idea," said Sirius, somewhat surprised. "It would give both of us more skills that may prove truly useful." And he more seriously replied, "Thank you, Harry."

Harry shrugged and said, "I'd actually only just thought of it. But, I'm sure you'd have come to the same conclusion."

Coughing to clear his throat, Sirius then ordered, "Now, get out of here and let me cook you something to eat. Go write your book, or something."

"Yeah, I can do that," replied Harry. "But, before I do, can we check to see if we have any anti-food poisoning potions on hand?"

Sirius threw a potato at him as he ducked and dived back out the door laughing.

# # #

"Harry! Harry! I really _am_ a big badger!"

Neville had called Harry out of the blue via the floo, not via mirror, the next morning. He was clearly very excited. His excitement brought Sirius into the room.

Harry laughed and said, "That's great, Nev! Now, we've only one more cube to go, tonight. So, do you want to come through tomorrow and Sirius and I can help you change into your form?"

"Yes, please!" replied Neville. "I'm so excited!"

"You should be," replied Sirius. "It's a very big thing to discover and do."

"Oh, Nev," said Harry. "Do you have all the texts from Hogwarts from Susan yet?"

"Yeah," said Neville. "Susan passed them through this morning. I was reading through them but took a break to do some meditating when I finally met my animagus form in the space. He's big, too. But his colouring looks wrong."

"Well, your own features will form part of the fur, so I wouldn't worry about the colouring too much. Well, see what it looks like tomorrow," replied Harry.

Signing off, Harry and Sirius grinned at each other.

Shaking his head, Sirius said, "Damn, Pup! That was fast!"

Chuckling, Harry said, "That's because you marauder guys set the method by which others could follow. In the process you made a lot of mistakes that we learned from. Myrrdin and I took what worked and built upon it. And, because myself and the other three were already pretty decent experts at meditation before we started.

"You guys had to learn from scratch and had no assistance whatsoever. You also had to get past the belief that only a very few wizards could be animaguses. We didn't have any of that."

Nodding, Sirius said, "Yeah, we did. And it took a lot of work to undo what we did wrong. Plus, though we all wanted to find the forms to help Mooney, I don't think any of us knew if we could do it or not.

"It was your father who drove me and Wormtail on. I was the first to change because I believed him. He just didn't believe it himself. But, when I changed, he knew it was possible. That's when he believed. It wasn't long after that, he changed too."

Snorting in wry amusement, Sirius went on to say, "We should have realised about Pettigrew then. It took him almost another year before he got it and changed. He should have known and trusted us. But because he knew we shouldn't trust him, he didn't trust us."

"Water under the bridge, Padfoot," replied Harry.

# # #

Stepping through the floo, Neville arrived at the Pottery both nervous and excited. Harry and Sirius had already moved all the furniture out to the walls leaving a large open space in the middle.

Sirius said to Neville, "Okay, Neville. We'll do this when you feel ready. You might want to meditate a bit to calm yourself, first."

Neville dropped down into the centre of the floor into his crossed-legged meditation state while Harry and Sirius took a seat on one of the couches and just sat silently.

After about a minute Neville nodded. Sirius quietly said, "Okay, since your form appears to be a badger, I want you to get on your hands and knees."

Without a word, while staring off into space, Neville assumed the hands and knees position.

Sirius said, "Now concentrate on the feelings you had of your animagus form and pump magic into it. Make your body assume the shape."

Standing on opposite sides, Harry held his hands ready and Sirius drew his wand and pointed it at Neville. As Neville started to shift, they both pumped magic into the changing form.

Suddenly, Neville almost popped, his change was that fast.

Between Harry and Sirius stood on four legs what looked like the biggest badger either of them had ever expected to see. But it wasn't a badger.

Harry laughed and sat on the floor in front of Neville while Sirius conjured a large mirror just off to the side of Harry aimed back at Neville.

Neville, in his form, looked at the mirror and the expression on the animal's face was definitely one of surprise.

Grinning, Harry said to Neville, "Nev. Mate. You're not a badger, though I can see why you think you would be. The two animals look somewhat similar, and the form you've taken is not an animal you'd ever expect to see in the United Kingdom except in a zoo.

"Nev, you're a _wolverine_!" he laughed. "Pound for pound, easily the most ferocious animal in existence!"

Neville looked to have dropped back to sit on his haunches. Not a position you would ever expect a wolverine, or a badger, to assume. And his head tilted slightly to one side. Almost a dog like expression.

Sirius, seeing the expression on Neville's face, had sat down on the floor and fallen over roaring with laughter.

Still chuckling, Harry said, "Okay, Nev. Changing back is a hell of a lot easier. All you have to do is _let_ yourself assume your natural shape. So, go for it and do that."

Harry held his hands ready to assist, but Neville didn't need it. His reverse change took just over a second to complete. And Neville was sitting on his haunches on the floor.

"I'm a _wolverine_?" he asked, shocked. "But why am I so small?"

Sirius answered, though still chuckling, "That's because you're still young. Therefore, your animagus form is also, comparatively speaking, still young. Your animagus is still growing!"

Nodding, Harry said, "You're a _juvenile_ wolverine. No longer a cub, but not yet an adult."

"Wow!"

"It suits you, Nev," said Harry. "A wolverine is an omnivore that will generally avoid trouble. It will run, when it can, but will turn and fight in the most ferocious manner it's capable of if cornered, or if it's family unit is in danger. The only time it generally goes out of its way to attack is if it's hunting small game.

"While it looks a lot like a badger, a badger is a member of the same family as the weasel while a wolverine is more closely related to the bear. It moves about twenty five miles a day when foraging, but is capable of a pretty decent clip of speed for short periods of time.

"It's a really cool, animagus form, Nev!" said Harry. "And it definitely suits you."

Neville was grinning like a loon, clearly pleased with what he was hearing.

Harry and Sirius helped Neville shift once more to his form and back again, but let him do it himself, successfully, on the third attempt.

Afterwards, Sirius said, "Okay, that's enough for one day. While your form is pretty close to your own mass, it still uses some of your magical energy from your core to occur. The closer to your own mass, the less energy it takes. But, as Harry has the last cube for you tonight, you need to not be magically exhausted for today."

Harry nodded and, also talking to Neville, said, "Practice it yourself tomorrow, if you like. But only try no more than about three times. You're also going to need to practice moving around in your form, so just move around at home for a while when you're in your form, okay? And call Sirius if you have any questions."

Nodding, Neville said, "Okay, I got it."

They sent him back through the floo to Longbottom Manor.

Turning to Sirius, Harry said, "Well, that's one. And the fact his mass is very similar to his form may further explain why he was the first."

Shrugging, Sirius said, "You're probably right. It may also explain why I was the first to change, your father second, and Pettigrew last. My form was pretty close to my original mass, your father's was about double, and Pettigrew's is only about one one-hundredth."

# # #


	15. Harry's Sword Prank

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Fifteen - Harry's Sword Prank

Later in the day, though it was a Saturday, Harry and Sirius went to Gringotts to find out how the purchase of the _Daily Prophet_ was progressing.

After the pleasantries were over Harry asked Blockrig, "How goes the purchase of the _Daily Prophet?_"

"Very well, My Lord," said a clearly pleased Blockrig. "You now own the major controlling interest with forty-five percent of the company. We're having trouble securing any further as some of the part-owners are reluctant to part with their shares as the company is seeing an increase in profits of late."

Snorting, Harry said, "An increase in profits mainly as a result of the heightened interest in the criminal proceedings against Crouch and the previous Minister, no doubt."

"Yes, My Lord," said the goblin. "The goblins representing those interests are loathe to release them without making obscene profits."

Sirius spoke up for the first time and asked, "Does the Black family own part of the company?"

"Yes, My Lord. Thirty percent," replied the goblin.

Harry laughed and said, "In that case, friend goblin, don't worry about pushing to purchase any more. With Lord Black here," he said, indicating Sirius, "we control seventy-five percent of the company. That'll do for now. But, if they come up, by all means purchase them."

"Yes, My Lord," said the goblin. "Is there anything else of which I can assist?"

Thinking, Harry said, "Yes, Blockrig, there is. On Wednesday... probably around late afternoon... the real Harry Potter is going to come out of hiding. In the process, I'm going to cause a great deal of embarrassment for one Albus Dumbledore.

"I'm going to arrive at the bank at about 12.30pm under cover of disguise. I'm going to have the blocks removed on the Head of House Potter and the Heir of House Black rings. But not the Head of House Slytherin ring. This will give the impression Harry Potter has come to the bank for the first time and is given both the Potter Will to read and to take up his House rings. At that time you can block all access to the Potter vaults by Dumbledore, and begin recovering from him that which has been stolen.

"Then Harry Potter is going to go shopping for his school supplies. He's going to make sure everyone sees him doing his shopping.

"When Dumbledore turns up and attempts to drag Harry Potter away. And, I assure you, friend goblin, he will. Harry Potter is going to scream about how 'the dirty old man is trying to drag him away to touch him in his naughty places'. Harry Potter may even kick him in the shins a couple of times for good measure. That'll bring the aurors in force.

"His godfather, Lord Black here, his rightful magical guardian, has been looking for his godson for quite some time. He will find Dumbledore 'accosting' his godson and is going to have a mighty argument with Dumbledore.

"The aurors, of course, who will have arrived by that time, will have no choice but to hand Harry Potter over to his proper guardian, especially when Harry Potter waves his copy of the Potter Will about, and the Head of the DMLE has no choice but to read it. Harry Potter is also going to show everyone the nice pretty ring the goblins gave him to wear that has his family crest upon it. And Harry Potter is also going to mention, once he's told Dumbledore's identity, how the nice goblins told him about the... really long term here... financial malfeasance... that has been going on with his trust fund by Albus Dumbledore.

"No doubt, Dumbledore will be taken back to the DMLE in manacles to answer questions of Will tampering and/or interference and theft from the Potter accounts, adding to his charges of mail owl interception.

"Lord Black is going to immediately take Lord Harry Potter, the poor wee lad, directly to Gringotts, where he, Lord Black will learn of the thefts from the Potter vaults, and demand an immediate investigation. It is also likely the aurors will be summoned, once more. You'll need to be prepared for that.

"It will also come to light at some stage how Harry Potter has been abused by his 'muggle' relatives for his entire life since he disappeared on the thirty-first of October in 1981. A place where Dumbledore, acting as his magical guardian, put him. It will soon be discovered how Dumbledore knew of the abuse.

"It will further come to light that Harry Potter was kept in the dark about his wizarding heritage, only learning of his heritage that very day, when he received his letter from Hogwarts.

"You may wish to... take a stroll... through the Alley, that afternoon after I visit here. I believe you will find the shenanigans quite entertaining."

By the time Harry had finished, the old goblin was nearly roaring with laughter. A laughing goblin was quite a fearsome thing.

Waiting for some time for the goblin to gain control of himself, Sirius asked wryly, "I take it you approve?"

"Oh, yes, My Lord; Oh, yes," chuckled the goblin with glee.

"Again, My Lord," he said on a serious note, "I must ask that if I ever displease you as much as Mister Dumbledore has done, you deal with me the goblin way and just take my head. If you need to borrow a sword for the deed, you may borrow mine. I would rather you do that, than destroy my name, or that of my clan, by reducing it to dirt."

"Oh, friend goblin," said Harry with an evil grin. "I'm only just getting warmed up. These are only the opening skirmishes."

After withdrawing some more galleons from his vault, Harry and Sirius left.

# # #

After Harry and his godfather left the bank, Blockrig sought audience with Director Ragnock.

Entering the Director's office, Blockrig gave the usual formalities.

*How goes young Lord Potter, Account Keeper Blockrig?* asked the Director.

*He is about to implement his next plan to discredit wizard Dumbledore. In the process he is bringing the real Harry Potter out into the open early,* replied Blockrig. *He plans this to happen just after noon this Wednesday.*

Putting down his quill, the Director sat back and said, *Tell me.*

Blockrig told the Director what Harry had told him. He left nothing out and did not exaggerate any point.

The Director was also left chuckling, *When Lord Potter returns to the bank on Wednesday, he and any of his party with him are to be escorted to this office. I will remove the blocks on the rings he requests. I will be looking forward to the visit.*

*Lord Potter also suggested I may consider taking time out of my schedule on Wednesday to witness this event for myself,* said Blockrig with a look of glee.

The Director asked, *Do you wish to?*

Thinking about it, Blockrig replied, *I do, but I do not want to abandon my post.*

Waving his hand in a dismissive gesture, the Director said, *It is of no consequence. You may, if you desire. If Lord Potter has suggested it, then you will comply. We consider him a friend of the goblin nation.*

*Shall I inform him of that, Director?* asked Blockrig.

Ragnock thought about it for a moment and replied, *No. If he has not determined that for himself yet, he soon will. Let it be a surprise.*

*Very good, Director,* replied Blockrig.

The Director said, *You may return to your work, Account Keeper. We thank you for your report.*

*Thank you, Director,* replied Blockrig bowing and leaving the room.

# # #

That evening, Harry did the final round of the Heirs with the cubes.

He checked in on Neville to make sure he'd behaved himself, only to learn he changed to his animagus form about an hour after he arrived home.

"I know I should have waited, Harry," he said abashed. "But, I wanted to make sure I could do it on my own without assistance. What I didn't realise is Gran walked into the room just after I changed."

Sighing, Harry said, "What happened?"

Speaking up, Augusta said, "I just saw this big, mean-looking animal in the room and tried to hex it."

Harry snorted in amusement.

Neville said, "It's not funny, Harry! She screamed at me and it scared me. When she tried to hex me I had to try to get out the door. I've not tried to move in my form yet, so I was a bit... clumsy."

Augusta cut in, "Clumsy? You tried to hop up and run on your back feet! If it wasn't so surprising watching this animal moving like an animated toy, I might have actually hit it with a second hex. As it was, I was so surprised I held my hex for a moment."

"That's when I turned back out of my animagus form," said Neville a bit glumly.

Harry laughed. He couldn't help it. The image of what happened in his mind's eye was just too funny.

"I didn't think it was funny," said a sullen Neville. "When I turned back, grandmother hexed me anyway."

Harry laughed even harder. "Serves you right!" he said with mirth. "Didn't you think to tell your grandmother you'd managed to change to your animagus form _before_ you actually did it while she wasn't in the room?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," said a still sullen Neville.

Augusta replied, "And it _was_ a surprise. One that nearly got you injured bad enough to need hospitalisation! And the last one was a stinging hex only."

Finally calming down, Harry walked over and checked Neville's magical core. While it was a little depleted it wasn't close to being a dangerous level.

"Next time, Nev," he said a little exasperated, "change while your grandmother watches. And you may as well start to learn how to _walk_ in the form, before you try and _run_ in it!"

# # #

At the Ossuary, Amelia brought Harry up-to-date on the cases against Bagnold, Crouch and Dumbledore.

"Bagnold has fled the country and we're trying to get her extradited from the United States. Her actions will likely lead to her spending time in Azkaban but the US won't comply because of the dementors," reported Amelia. "When we grabbed Crouch we learned his wife had switched places with their son in Azkaban, where she died soon afterwards from an incurable illness.

"Crouch Junior was found in Crouch Manor, recaptured and returned to Azkaban; and Crouch Senior, due to his role in that and in Black's illegal incarceration, has now joined him. I hope they both rot there!

"Dumbledore's been madly trying to delay the trial for as long as possible. Even then, he's been bribing members left, right and centre to try and get the case thrown out. I just can't _prove_ it! The evidence against him is clear. I now have over _one thousand_ formal complaints, forming over five thousand individual cases, of mail tampering. But, if I can't get him back on the witness stand, I can't convict him. And then people can't sue him for the loss of galleons they spent on sending you gifts."

"That's okay, Madam Bones," replied Harry. "In less than four days he's going to have far worse trouble when Harry Potter makes his big debut in Diagon Alley. As long as he hasn't managed to get the case thrown out by then, you'll be able to pile a lot more illegal actions upon him. His support will evaporate very quickly after that."

"Ah, yes," said Amelia with a grin. "I've already started to ensure I'll have a fair-sized team lined up ready to go when we get the first call of a child in danger in the Alley."

"I've planned to arrive in Gringotts at 12.30pm," said Harry. "I'll then leave Gringotts, after about an hour, and start my shopping at that time. I don't think it's going to be very long before old Dumbles makes an appearance and tries to grab me. The goblins already have what they need to do lined up ready to go.

"Oh, and you won't be offended if I land a couple of kicks to Dumbledore's shins when he grabs me, do you? After all, that's what a mundane child has been told to do if they're grabbed in a similar manner."

"Just so long as you land a couple of good ones for me," she replied with a grin.

"Oh," said Harry, suddenly thinking of something. "Can I have that list of complainants, and who they're on behalf of if they're acting as guardians for the real victims? I want to write a letter to each and every one of them. Even if I have to get a form letter printed off and I personally address and sign each one."

Surprised, Amelia said, "Yes, of course, My Lord. But that's a great deal of work you've set yourself up for."

Nodding, Harry said, "I know. And I know it's going to take me a long time to address them all. But, I have a reputation that's in tatters from what Dumbebutt has done. And I need to fix it, since I can't expect Dumbles to do it for me."

Impressed, Amelia said, "I'll get you a copy of the list of names, and see if I can get you a list of what they sent you to match."

"Thank you, Ma'am," he said. "And, do you know where I can order a whole batch of dicta-quills?"

"I'll get you the contact details of our supplier," she replied.

"Again, thank you," replied Harry.

While Harry and Amelia had been talking, Susan came into the room and had sat quietly. Turning to her, Harry said with a big smile and a deep flourish, "And good evening to you, My Lady Hufflepuff. I hope I find you well, this evening?"

Amelia rolled her eyes at Harry's antics.

Grinning back, Susan replied with an equal deep flourish, "I am well. Thank you, My Lord Slytherin, for asking."

Chuckling, Harry said, "How goes the search for your animagus?"

Sitting up in excitement, Susan replied, "I'm a dark grey wolf with a hint of reddish colouring between my ears and down my ruff. It also has the same dark brown coloured eyes as me!"

Nodding, Harry said, "Okay, if your aunt allows it you can come over to the Pottery tomorrow and Sirius and I will help you to assume the form for the first couple of times."

Both looked towards Amelia, who nodded and said, "But she's to come straight back home afterwards."

Nodding, Harry said, "Of course."

Looking back at Susan, he said, "Come through via the floo at about 10.00am and we'll have the middle of the parlour floor cleared of furniture."

"Yes!" squealed Susan. "I'll be there!"

A little while later he activated the last cube for Susan and left for the Grangers.

# # #

"Come in, lad," said Dan, holding the door open for him, after first checking the street.

While Dan was returning his weapon to his new gun safe in the hall closet, Harry went into the lounge room to half flop into his now favourite chair.

Hermione was still working on the arithmancy equations but, at least this time, she wasn't so deep into it that she wasn't paying attention to what was going on around her.

"Hi, Harry," she said glancing up as he walked in.

"Hi 'Mione," he replied with a grin. "Still working on magical energy conservation?"

"Oh, yes," she replied. "I think you're going to be really surprised!"

Dan came in and called Emma from the kitchen.

Answering Hermione, Harry said, "I've no doubt."

Emma and Dan both came in and sat on the sofa facing the two kids. They clearly had something on their minds.

"Oh, oh!" said Harry in mock dread to Hermione. "The Major's called in support from the good Lady Emma. Why do I have the feeling I'm about to be ambushed?"

"Because you're smarter than you think?" asked Hermione with a wry smile.

Dan snorted. "Uppity kid!"

"Daniel!" scolded Emma, rounding on her husband.

Leaping to his feet, chest puffed out, fists on his hips and feet apart, Harry declared, "I, am Super Harry! And I am impervious to your taunts!"

"Sit down, you impertinent child," Dan mock ordered.

With an airily gesture of his right hand, Harry declared, "Super Harry must first give his impressive monologue!"

"Sit down, or I'll give the Sergeant Major a call," said Dan with a grin.

Deflating, as he had already met He-who-makes-you-hurt, Sergeant Major Bellows, on more than one of his training exercises, Harry said, "Super Harry is _not_ impervious to Sar'Majors." He flopped back into his chair.

Dan chuckled while Emma just gave a 'why me' sigh. Hermione just shook her head with a slight smile.

"Harry," began Emma with her patience voice, "I'm... we're... not happy about you having to deal with Dumbledore, on Wednesday in the Alley, on your own until your support can arrive."

"I'll be fine, Ma'am," replied Harry. "Everyone is a only few seconds away."

"Well, there's going to be three people right there with you," she said. "Dan, Hermione and I will be joining you in Gringotts before you walk out to start your shopping. Mister Dumbledore does not know us, so he will think we're just other shoppers who happen to be near you when he sees you."

Frowning, Harry thought about it. He said, "Well, I don't think I really need the backup. But, if it makes you happy, we can do that."

"It makes me _very_ happy, Harry," she said in a firm voice.

"Okay," said Harry, surrendering. "We'll all go shopping together. We'll make it look like Hermione and I had just met and we worked out we were both to be first years together at Hogwarts. We'll then go shopping together to buy what we need off the shopping list."

"I already have everything I need for school, Harry," said Hermione.

"That doesn't matter, I'll pay for you to have a second set of everything. I'm rich, remember?"

Dan said, "Good plan. But you're not going to buy a second set of everything. It's a waste of money."

"But," said Harry sitting up, "if we're going to do this, then I get to buy you some gifts."

"Only something small, useful and cheap," said Emma.

"Madam, you wound me!" mock declared Harry. "I would dishonour the memory of my ancestors if I was to... stint... on my responsibilities as the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter!"

"Can it, lad," said Dan with a chuckle. "We're mundane upper middle class, remember?"

"Okay, but I still get to buy gifts," grumbled Harry. "I told the goblins I'll be at Gringotts at 12.30pm. I think it's going to take about an hour hiding in the back offices before we then come out and start shopping."

Turning to Emma, he asked, "Are you going to be okay taking a day off, Ma'am?"

"I've already cleared the time in my schedule," she replied.

"In other words, you'd already planned to ambush me with this, well in advance," he grouched.

Sighing, Emma said, "Sometimes you take too much onto yourself, Harry. You might have the mind of a nineteen year old but you've still the body of an eleven year old. It's _you_ who keeps reminding _us_ of that."

"Having a couple of adults along will not harm your 'rep', lad," said Dan.

Holding up his hands in a sign of surrender, Harry said, "Okay, okay."

Grinning, Dan said, "We knew you'd see it our way."

"Did I actually have a choice?"

"No," he grinned.

Shaking his head and changing the subject, Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "How goes the search for your animagus form?"

Brightening, Hermione replied, "Oh, I'm a big raven... or a crow... or something."

"Or something?" asked Harry.

She said, "It... looks different... to what I'd expect a raven or crow to look like."

Curious, Harry asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well," she replied, "for starters, it doesn't have the yellow irises of either of those birds. It's eyes are brown, like mine."

"That's because it has a lot of your characteristics," said Harry. "Clearly, one of the characteristics in your form is the colour of your eyes."

"And, though it's a black bird, it has pure white tips to its pinion and tail feathers," she said, thinking hard.

"Does it have four or five pinion feathers?" he asked.

Thinking, she replied, "Five... yes... definitely five."

"That's a crow," said Harry with a smile. "Ravens have four."

"Okay," said Hermione. "But, as I'm _Raven_claw, I'd have thought it'd be a raven."

"Nope!" he replied. "But, the only difference biologists can determine between a raven and a crow, is the difference of one pinion feather between the two."

Grinning, he said, "That is, the difference between a crow and a raven is a matter of a pinion!" He laughed.

"Oh, Harry," she said with a little sigh and a shake of her head. "That really was lame... Clever... but lame."

"Yeah, well," he said, still chuckling. "I thought it was funny."

"Even so," she said. "It still doesn't explain the colour difference in the feather tips."

Shrugging but still smiling, Harry said, "I know. But, we'll work it out. How about I come and pick you up just before 10.00am tomorrow morning. Susan's also coming to the Pottery and Sirius and I will help you through the first form shift or two along with her."

Looking back at her parents, she asked, "Is that okay?"

Her father nodded, but Emma said, "As long as I come, too, that's fine."

Harry replied, "That's fine. I appreciate the idea of having a chaperone there. And I hope Madam Bones comes, too. Sirius and I will be along shortly before 10.00am and we'll side-along apparate the two of you."

Emma only nodded but Hermione was a bit excited.

Dan said, "Okay, pumpkin. Time for bed. We'll be up shortly."

Sighing, Hermione packed up what she was working on and tucked it all under her arm. Then she walked over, kissed her mother, then her father, hesitated a moment, rushed over to Harry and kissed him on the cheek before dashing up the stairs with a giggle.

Harry blushed again, quite gobsmacked.

Emma just smiled at him and shook her head. "I told you," she said. "She already falling in love with you."

"I'm soooo not ready for this," said Harry with a mumble.

Dan just grinned and said, "Too bad!"

Activating the last cube for Hermione, Harry headed for home. He needed sleep.

# # #

The next morning, after his training regimen with Dan - Something he was beginning to enjoy no matter how much he now pretended to whine and moan about it to Dan - he returned home to find Sirius had already cleared the floor of the Parlour again. This time he had removed the furniture.

Pixie prepared a light morning tea with small quartered sandwiches and tea in preparation of their guests.

Sirius and he, at a little before 10.00am, apparated over to the entry hall of the Granger residence and announced themselves.

"Hello?" called Harry.

"In the kitchen," Harry heard Emma call.

Harry led Sirius through to the kitchen at the rear of the house and said hello.

"Hermione!" Emma called.

With a sudden rush of thumping Hermione came down the stairs leading up to the bedrooms in a rush and barrelled into the kitchen.

"Hi, Sirius!" she said, going to the older man and giving him a hug.

A little shocked by Hermione's forwardness it took him a moment to hug her back.

Looking down at the top of her head, he said, "Hello, my little darling."

Harry just snorted and Emma just rolled her eyes.

"Where's Dan?" asked Harry.

Hermione said, "Outside talking to the lovely men who stopped by in a plumbers van across the street. He's just letting them know we're going to be away for a while."

Harry nodded

Hermione helped her mother tidy up the kitchen while they waited.

A few minutes later, Dan walked back in the front door. He drew a small automatic from the middle of his back and check-safed it before tucking it back into the small holster in the middle of his back.

Sirius watched him with curiosity.

"What was that?" he asked.

Dan replied, "A nine millimetre automatic. Twelve rounds, hollow tipped."

That seemed to confuse Sirius even more than he was already.

Harry grinned and decided to explain it to his godfather. He said, "A powerful enough mundane weapon useful at short distances no more than about duelling ranges. For longer distances they have a longer weapon. Quite lethal."

"Ah!" said Sirius, suddenly understanding.

Looking around the room he asked, "Are we ready to go?"

Dan replied, "Yes. But I'm coming, too."

Looking at his godfather, Harry asked, "Can you side-along apparate two?"

Frowning, Sirius said, "Yes, but it'd be easier to make two trips."

"Okay," said Harry. "You take Emma and I'll take Hermione. Then you can come back for Dan?"

"Sounds like a plan," said Dan.

Sirius walked up and held on to Emma while she held on to him. Then they were gone. Harry took Hermione.

# # #

At the Pottery, Harry arrived and held up Hermione for the few seconds it took her to get her balance, and Sirius went back and collected Dan. They were back a few seconds later.

Pixie popped in and asked, "Missy Emma and Mister Dan like tea?"

Emma said to the little elf, "Yes, but I'll come and give you a hand."

Pixie, having had previous experience of this with Emma, nodded and popped away. Emma left the room heading for the kitchen. Harry suspected she was more checking to ensure he and Sirius were eating well, than to actually assist in making tea.

A few moments later they received a floo call from the Ossuary. Amelia, then Susan, stepped through. Amelia had her wand out ready for trouble until she was sure the room was safe.

Sirius said to her, "You know, you come across as quite paranoid when you do that," indicating her wand.

Amelia grinned and said, "My instructor at the auror training centre said, 'Better to look paranoid and be alive than be foolish and dead'."

Sirius grinned and nodded his head. "We were the same during the war," he said.

"Okay, that's everybody," said Harry, changing the subject. Turning to Susan he asked, "Do you want to go first?"

Susan replied, "Yes, please."

Sirius said, "Right. Everyone else, please move to the walls. Susan, you're in the middle of the floor."

After moving folks around, during which time Emma came back in, they were ready.

Looking at Susan, Sirius said, "The best way to start is to put your body into a position somewhat how your form looks when you've changed. So, you're a wolf, right?"

Nodding, Susan got down onto her hands and knees in the middle of the floor, "Is this okay?"

Sirius replied, "More than okay."

"Now, I want you to relax, in that position meditate just slightly if you need to, then use your magic to push your body into the shape of the wolf. Let me know when you're ready."

Susan held still for a little while and then quietly said, "Okay, I'm ready."

Harry moved up to one side of Susan, holding his hands at the ready, while Sirius drew his wand and took the other. Everyone else remained quiet and watched with avid interest.

"Okay, Susan," he said. "Now."

Harry and Sirius both pumped their magic into Susan. And she changed with an almost audible pop.

Dan and Emma gasped in shock.

"Merlin!" said Amelia.

"Wow!" said Sirius. "That was quick."

Harry moved around in front of the young girl and told her to sit on her haunches. She did so and copied almost the same expression as Neville the day before.

Thinking, he said, "Definitely a wolf. Young adolescent from your lines. A pretty big one, too."

Suddenly, he realised what he was seeing, "Damn, Susan! You're a shadow wolf!"

Susan titled her head across to the other side and appeared to frown back at Harry. She rose back up onto all four feet and turned her head to look at herself from one side to the other.

Sirius conjured the same mirror they'd used for Neville and put it so Susan could see her own reflection. Again, she made those slight head tilts Harry was used to seeing a puppy do.

Harry stood back up and said, "Okay, time to revert."

Sirius then stepped forward and said, "Okay, Susan." Getting the girl's attention he said, "To revert you just need to let the form go and allow yourself to revert back to your normal self. When you're ready, do that. Harry and I will be here to help force the change, if necessary."

Again, with an almost audible pop, Susan changed. This time, back to her normal self. Harry looked up at Sirius and asked, "Did you assist?"

"No", said Sirius. "She changed too quick for me to even have a chance to raise my wand."

"Me, neither," said Harry. "I think she's going to understand this the quickest of the three."

Looking at the young girl as she rose to her feet, Sirius asked, "How did that feel?"

Thinking hard, Susan replied, "It felt... right. I felt alive and I felt like I needed to run and hunt!"

Looking at Harry, he grinned and said, "She's going to be a natural at this."

Nodding, Harry grinned back before turning to Susan and saying, "Yeah, you're not going to have any trouble getting this down pat."

Sirius piped up and said to her, "For now, though, take a break. We'll give Hermione a shot."

Susan moved off to the side to stand next to her aunt, grinning like a loon. While Hermione came forward and stood in the middle of the floor.

"Okay, 'Mione," said Harry. "As you're a bird, you'll need to remain standing. But I want you to lean forward a bit and hold your arms straight down by your sides."

Hermione took the stance as she was instructed, but asked, "Why do I need to do this when Harry doesn't?"

Replying, Harry said, "Because I now have quite a bit of experience assuming my form. Taking the stance just helps you get your mind into a receptive state for your first couple of times."

Sirius then said, "Same thing as Susan, meditate a little and focus on assuming the shape of your..."

"White-tipped crow," finished Harry.

Sirius then said, "Let us know when you're ready."

A few moments later, Hermione nodded.

Stepping forward, as Harry did the same from the other side, he instructed, "Okay, push!"

Harry and Sirius both pushed their magic into Hermione and she flowed into her shape. Now standing before them was what looked like a large crow with white tips on its pinion feathers and the tips of its tail feathers. Again, it was a large bird, standing almost knee high to the adults in the room.

Again, Harry heard a sharp intake of breath from the others in the room. He wondered when he'd become quite so blasé about someone assuming their animagus form.

"Okay," said Sirius in a little amazement. "That's pretty big for a normal adolescent crow."

Hermione was using the mirror to give herself a good look over. She was carefully moving her wings out from her body and spreading her feathers. Her wingspan was going to be quite impressive; bigger even than Harry's.

Grinning, Harry replied, "That's because I don't think she's going to be a normal crow. I think she may be something more than that. Those white tips are _very_ unusual."

Hermione was looking all around; at herself, at her reflection, at her parents, at everyone.

Stepping forward again, Sirius said, "Okay, time to revert."

"Okay, Hermione," he said. Hermione looked up at him as he said, "Time to revert. When you're ready."

Harry moved into his now normal position on the other side and both he and Sirius stood ready to assist. She leaned forward just a little and then... blurred. 'Normal' Hermione was now standing in front of them bent forward a little.

She stood up straight, turned to Harry, grinned and threw her arms around him.

"Oh, wow!" she exclaimed. "That was so... cool!"

Looking over her shoulder, Harry asked Sirius, "Did you need to assist with the reversion?"

"No," replied Sirius. "You?"

"No," he said.

Patting the girl on the back, Harry said, "Okay, 'Mione. You need to let me go now."

Hermione reluctantly let go of Harry and went to her parents saying, "Did you see that? I'm a crow!"

"Errr... yeah," said Dan, still a little shocked.

Sirius then turned to Susan and asked, "Ready for a second attempt?"

Nodding, Susan replied, "Yes, please!" And moved into the centre of the room once more.

Standing between Sirius and Harry she concentrated a little bit and, before Sirius or Harry were even ready, she blurred and assumed her wolf form.

"Ummm... Harry?" asked Sirius. "Did you..."

"Nope!" said Harry with a grin. "That was _all_ her!"

Susan sat on her haunches and looked around a bit to make sure she had everything where it was supposed to be. Then stood and tried to walk around the room a bit. At first, she was a little off-gaited, but soon learned how to walk in her form after a bit of concentration.

She moved back into the centre of the room and, after a little hesitation, blurred back into her normal human form.

Sirius chuckled and said, "Yeah, she's got this."

Grinning, Harry said to her, "What you're now going to need to do is watch how dogs and horses move about. A wolf moves the same way. There's walking, trotting, galloping, jumping and the ways they suddenly change direction."

Getting her attention, Sirius said, "When you're ready to try those, the Pottery here has plenty of outside space in the woods where we can help you practice that. We're a pretty decent distance from mundane folks. And I doubt it's going to take you all that long to get the hang of it, considering how quickly you've picked up assuming your form and reverting back."

Turning to Hermione, Harry asked, "You ready to try again, 'Mione?"

Hermione nodded and skipped to the middle of the room as Susan moved out of the way. She leaned forward slightly with her arms by her side and, before Harry or Sirius could even move to assist, she blurred and assumed the form of her crow.

Exasperated but amused, Sirius said, "What is it with you kids? You're picking it up so fast!"

Hermione looked at him with her beak slightly open and gave a little 'caw!'. She spread her wings out to each side and turned about on the spot with little hops. She looked down at her rather skinny legs with her splayed toes, and moved them about a little.

Looking up she gave her wings a single beat and lifted about a foot into the air.

Harry pleaded, "Please don't try to fly in the house."

"When you want to try that," he said, "we'll go outside and try a few attempts at gliding and banking. Then we'll go over how your wings work when they're flapping. In the mean time, you need to watch some videos in slow motion of birds in flight, and how they take off and land."

Hermione, without warning, suddenly blurred and assumed her normal form.

"Merlin!" exclaimed Sirius. "Both of them! Like naturals!"

Harry just shook his head and chuckled. Speaking to the room, he asked, "How about we have some morning tea?"

That made everyone at least start to relax. With a wave of his wand, Sirius brought the furniture back into the room. "Pixie!" he called.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Sirius, Sir?"

"You can bring in the morning tea, now, Pix," he said.

*Pop* *Pop* And the morning tea was laid out on the coffee table.

# # #

After a quick call through to Longbottom Manor via floo, they were soon joined by Neville and Augusta.

Hermione and Susan tag teamed Neville and told him they, too, could now assume their animagus forms. Neville was clearly excited for them both.

Augusta said, "This is actually quite extraordinary. Everyone always assumed it was such a rare gift."

It was Sirius who responded first. Shaking his head, he said, "No, it just takes learning how to meditate, seeking your form, meeting it, and then being given a bit of assistance in assuming it for the first time. If you want to discover your own, Harry and I can help you."

"Lord Black," said Amelia. "Clearly, you have such an animagus form, yourself. You wouldn't know so much about the subject if you didn't."

Looking abashed before sighing, "Yeah, I do."

He gave a shrug, looking at Harry, said, "It was bound to come out sooner or later."

Harry just grinned back and said, "You'd best show them."

Sirius rose from his seat and moved to stand in front of the fireplace. He suddenly blurred and took the form of his Irish Wolfhound.

Harry said with a wide grin, "Everyone, say hello to Padfoot!"

"He has his own name?" asked Hermione wondrously.

Sirius blurred back and said, "In the group of like-skilled folks I was a part of, it was de rigueur to have a different name when you were in your animagus form."

"Can we have a name for ours?" asked Susan excitedly.

Sirius, moving back to his seat, said, "Yes, but it's not up to you to pick the name. It's up to the others to pick it for you."

Sitting back and clearly remembering better days, he said, "It was James and Remus who picked mine, Padfoot. I picked Pettigrew's, Wormtail. James gave Remus his very early, Moony, because he's a werewolf. That's what started the concept, actually. And Moony and Pettigrew who gave Harry's father his, Prongs."

Turning to Harry, she asked, "And your name is 'Pup'?"

Harry snorted and replied, "No. Sirius is the only one who calls me that."

"Moony called him 'Cub'," said Sirius, continuing. "And James called him 'Prongslet'."

"Then, do you have one, Harry?" asked Susan.

Nodding, Harry said, "Myrrdin called me 'Archimedes', but it's not really a suitable name for the style of which Sirius speaks."

Hermione, frowning, asked, "Wait. Wasn't Archimedes the name of Merlin's owl?"

Grumbling, Harry said, "No. I was never '_Merlin's owl_'. It was that damnable blonde-headed kid, Arthur, who called me that because he knew it annoyed me. That damned kid was never Merlin's apprentice, I was. But Merlin taught Arthur how to read and write and, when he grew up, he wrote a bloody book. In it he claimed to have been Merlin's apprentice and I was just an owl, when he knew damned well that wasn't true!"

"You were Merlin's owl?" asked Dan, shocked. "The one in the Disney film? _That_ owl?"

"Yes... No... Disney, as has a lot of the written history, got a few things wrong," explained Harry. "That damned kid wrote what he did as revenge against me for pranking his butt on a couple of occasions. And then people assumed it as fact, rather than the fiction it was.

"I was the so-called owl and wore the glasses, not Merlin. I was also the apprentice, but part of my training was assumed to have been Arthur's because of his bloody book. Arthur lied about that; he was only a mundane. I couldn't speak in my earth phoenix form, either, as Disney's version does. Merlin was a highly skilled Legilimens and he could read my thoughts while I was in my form. I, of course, could understand him when he talked to me."

"Just because, on one occasion, I stuffed this great honking sword he found through the middle of a rock in a churchyard, he held a grudge."

"It was _you_ who put the sword in the stone?" asked Emma.

"Well, yes," grumbled Harry sitting back with his arms crossed. "I did it as a prank."

"The sword in the stone was a _prank_?" asked Sirius.

Harry just grumbled about people taking things too seriously, while Sirius rolled around in his seat howling with laughter.

"Why else would a sword be sticking out of a rock?" he asked.

Emma asked, "So, you pulled a practical joke on King Arthur?"

"No," replied Harry, "I pranked a kid, another orphan, that Myrrdin rescued from semi-slavery from a castle in England. Myrrdin thought he'd make a good friend for me. But, we never got along. Not really. Myrrdin used to grab him, bring him to the pocket reality, teach him some stuff, and then send him back. But I'd be trying to meditate and the kid would poke me and demand I come play with him. He just annoyed the hell out of me.

"On one of those occasions the kid had brought a sword with him and was dragging it everywhere. But he left it behind when Myrrdin sent him back. Myrrdin told me to send him his sword, so I did. I stuffed it in a rock in a nearby churchyard where he'd find it. And I was kind enough that I left it keyed to him so no one would steal it.

"It was those silly bloody bone-headed knights who, seeing him pull it back out, instantly declared him their rightful king for his deed. Seriously, I think those knights must've taken one too many hits to their collective heads to have done that! Not one of them asked how the sword came to be in the bloody rock in the first place!"

Sirius, having laughed himself right out of his chair, was still howling with laughter on the floor.

"Shut up, Snuffles!" grumbled Harry to his godfather.

Still laughing, Sirius said, "You went to pull a prank on a poor, defenceless mundane kid, and it made him a king!"

"It's not funny, Snuffles!" exclaimed Harry quite crossly. "It upset the future of the country and it took Myrrdin and me years to fix it. It took a couple of centuries in real time before we got the rightful ruling line back where it belonged and have the so-called history of Arthur rendered folklore. That little wart of a boy was supposed to have gone on to fulfil his dream and become a mighty knight; not become king!

"As punishment, Myrrdin made me train the boy for the next few years while he worked at fixing the problem it caused, until it was safe to leave him alone to his own devices."

Neville, speaking up for the first time, said, "So, not only did you prank Merlin. You also pranked King Arthur."

Shrugging, Harry replied, "Yeah, I suppose."

Neville declared, "You're nuts!"

"Neville!" cried Augusta. "What a horrid thing to say!"

Neville asked, "Well, what would you call it, grandmother?"

Thinking, Augusta replied, "Inadvisable."

"Anyway," said Harry, trying to get the conversation back on track. "We need to figure out Marauder names for everyone. But I suggest we wait awhile. I have a feeling there's more about each of the animagus forms we don't know yet. And we might want to learn what those are, first."

"Anyone else have anything?" asked Dan.

There were a range of verbal nods in the negative from everyone else.

"In that case," said Dan, "Emma and I do. We're not letting Harry walk through Diagon Alley alone. No matter how close his backup is. We're going to walk with him."

Harry just rolled his eyes.

Amelia leaned forward and said, "Actually, Major Granger, that's a very good idea. I must confess it concerned me, too."

Dan said, "Well, we know this Dumbledore fellow doesn't know us from a bar of soap. So, when Harry goes straight to Gringotts, we'll be there waiting for him. Supposedly, he and Hermione will quickly discover they're both going to Hogwarts for the first time and strike up an immediate friendship. Emma, Hermione and I will then be walking with him when he goes to do his shopping."

Nodding, Amelia said, "That works. Anyone else have ideas about this?"

More negative head shakes from everyone else, including Harry, this time.

Harry said, "Just that Neville and Susan will be trained by Sirius on how to move in their animagus forms, while I'll train Hermione in moving and flight in hers."

Susan and Neville nodded. But Hermione said, "Harry, I'm afraid of heights. I don't think I'm going to be any good at this."

Harry smiled and replied, "You'll never need to be afraid of heights again, 'Mione. The fear of heights has more to do with the fear of falling. And that's something you're _never_ going to have to fear again."

"Well, I have one to add to next Wednesday's... festivities," said Amelia. "Just so Figg can't get in contact with Dumbledore when Harry pays her a visit, I'll be summoning him to my office for questions relating to... how it is he's managing to avoid being put on trial. I'll also be hinting how I believe he's been bribing other members of the Wizengamot. That should keep him busy for at least an hour."

After working out times when Harry and Sirius could train the three, the semi-impromptu meeting broke up and folks headed home. The Longbottoms and Boneses left via the floo first; and then Sirius and Harry shuttled the Grangers back to their home.

# # #


	16. Dumbledore's Second Bad Day (Part 1)

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Sixteen - Dumbledore's Second Bad Day (Part 1)

After training the next morning, the Monday before the great Harry Potter 'reveal' in Diagon Alley, Harry brought Hermione and Dan back to the Pottery. Harry told Dan, Hermione was perfectly safe at the Pottery. But Dan just said his orders were to protect the Countess until she left for Hogwarts. And he was serious about his duties and his responsibilities.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, you can come and watch, if you like."

Harry took Hermione outside where he'd had a platform conjured with different levels. The first was about two feet off the ground, the second was four feet, and the third was six feet. They were angled so she could launch from the edge of one and take a straight line glide down towards the back of the yard, where the vegetables and chickens were located.

He had Hermione stand on the first platform and assume her crow form.

"Okay, 'Mione," he instructed. "I want you to just lean forward with your wings spread and push off from the edge of the platform. Get a feel for how the wind flows over your wings. As you near the ground. flip the bottom of your wings forward with your elbows as drag, and bring both feet right forward to cushion your landing. Try that."

Hermione, executed a flawless take off, but was a little rough on the landing. She changed back into her normal form and was jumping up and down.

"I did it!" she cried. "I did it! I flew!"

Amused, Harry said, "Of course, you did."

Hermione came running back and climbed back up onto the first landing.

"'Mione, wait!" ordered Harry. "You're going to exhaust your magical core if you keep changing back and forth all time. Let me provide you the magical power to do it. Or you're going to exhaust yourself before we get very far in your training."

Nodding, Hermione waited with excitement almost quivering off herself.

"Next level up, please," instructed Harry.

Hermione climbed up to the next level and stood near the edge. Harry pumped magic into her and she changed again.

"Okay, same thing, this time practice your landing."

Hermione, not as hesitant this time, launched herself forward. This time her landing was pretty good. She spun about, took a couple of steps back towards Harry and flapped her wings. She lifted off the ground a little and glided back a fair bit, before trying it again.

Grinning, Harry said, "This isn't going to take you long at all."

Hermione shifted back and was giggling away.

"Okay, this time we're going to try banking off the top level," he said. "We're both going to change. I'll go first and I want you to follow me. Watch what I do with my wings and my tail. Watch how they move and see if you can emulate it."

"Okay!" she said.

After both climbed up onto the top level, Harry helped change her into her form before changing himself. Harry walked up to the edge of the platform and made sure Hermione, a larger bird than he, was right beside him. He nodded once and launched in a glide.

About ten feet away he quickly looked back to see Hermione launch off after him.

He banked slightly to the left, before straightening back up. Then he angled himself towards the back left corner of the property. Hermione followed as best she could.

Near the back he banked a lot sharper and held the bank as he slowly wheeled about above the vegetable garden before he'd turned almost completely around and was heading back towards the platform. During his bank he was careful to keep stealing glances back to make sure Hermione wasn't getting into trouble.

He held his glide as long as possible before braking and landing about half way back up the yard. Hermione had landed about ten feet behind him.

Shifting back he said, "That was pretty good."

Hermione shifted and exclaimed, "That wasn't good. That was... cool!"

Chuckling, he asked, "Still feeling afraid of heights?"

"Not when I'm in my crow form, no," she replied. "I mean, I can't actually fall, can I?"

Harry knew the truth but said, "No."

Of course a bird could fall. Gravity was gravity. But a bird, once mastering flight, didn't need to worry about falling unless they injured a wing, or unless they didn't reach enough speed to get air passing under their wings. Even then their landing would be significantly cushioned.

"This time, though you've already tried it, we're going to try powering the flight with wing beats," explained Harry. I'll shift into my form and, while just standing there, move my wings slowly as if I was flying. You'll see how I move my wings. Watch carefully."

Both of them climbed back onto the top level of the platform. Harry helped Hermione to change and said, "Remember to watch my wing movements." Then changed.

While standing there on his clawed feet, Harry moved his wings slowly up and down, demonstrating the wing beat movement of powered flight. Then he changed back.

"Okay, your turn," he instructed.

Hermione copied his movements and it wasn't long before she got the rhythm of it. So, Harry said, "Try to go faster. As you do, you'll start to be propelled forward. Let it happen. And Fly!"

Hermione's wing beats quickly built in pace. Soon he could see her trying to dig in with the claws on his feet. But it wasn't long before she couldn't hold back and, quite suddenly, she shot forward. Launching off the platform she quickly gained altitude heading for the back of the property.

Harry stood and threw himself forward changing as he went. He quickly headed off after her.

Hermione was beating her wings at a furious pace. He didn't even know if she'd realised how much height she'd gained.

Harry knew he couldn't catch her at that rate so he phoenix-flashed forward to be just behind her and off to one side. When she finally stopped flapping they were quite some distance in the air. This allowed Harry to come up alongside and just in front and below her, about five feet away.

He was worried she'd finally stop flapping, look around to see where she was, and panic. By taking position just ahead and off to one side he hoped she'd focus on him and not suddenly drop out of her animagus form in fright.

He was right, he heard Hermione suddenly give a shrill sounding 'caw' before locking her eyes on him. He saw her try to cover the distance between them as if she was trying to grab him. He simply banked away keeping the distance between them close, but not too close.

He allowed himself to drift down and banked slightly. Hermione followed. She might have been as stiff as a child's kite, but she held her form and flight.

Seeing her follow him he steepened his bank while also using his wings to brake. She, at first, flew past him a little, but soon she was copying his moves, braking the same way.

Harry nodded to her as he saw her look at him. He finally had them headed back towards the Pottery and was steepening their descent. The last few hundred feet he was approaching at an almost forty-five degree descent and heading for the rear yard near where he could see Dan.

Dan, having watched Hermione speed off and Harry in hot pursuit, had risen from his chair.

Harry swooped in and landed about ten feet short of Dan. Hermione, not quite as graceful, hit a bit harder next to him and just in front. She popped out of her animagus for at almost the same time as Harry.

She ran the couple of step to him and embraced him in a big hug. "Oh, my god, Harry!" she exclaimed, nearly in tears. "I was so scared! I didn't realise I'd climbed so high, so fast!"

"Why were you scared? You're a bird, remember? You can fly!" replied Harry, trying to call her down and holding her out a arms length. "You no longer need to fear that sort of thing anymore."

Dan came over and gave her a hug. "That was amazing, Pumpkin! You flew so fast... and you're doing so well!"

Harry nodded and smiled at Dan. He knew Dan could see the same thing. She had to get back into the air or would fear it forever.

"You can _fly_, Pumpkin!" said Dan. "And you don't need a plane to do it."

Steeling himself, Harry said, "We'll go just once more, 'Mione. And you can have a rest."

"But... but I it really scared me," she sobbed.

"I know," said Harry, soothingly. "And _that's_ why we're not going to try and fly so high. I want you to fly on the straight and level from this end of the yard to the other, and back again."

After a few more moments he managed to coax Hermione back onto the second level, four feet.

He said, "Okay, you don't need to flap anywhere near as hard as you did the last time. Keep your eyes open and you'll be able to see how high you are at all times. That will guide you in how much you need to beat your wings, okay?"

Hermione nodded. Harry pumped magic into her and said, "Shift!" And she did.

"Okay, 'Mione; just to the end of the yard and back again. Try and stay below six feet off the ground," he instructed.

She gave her head a bit of shake, waddled up to the edge of the platform and launched. She glided down and bit and then started lazily flapping her wings. Up to the end of the yard and she banked around losing a bit of height, but gained it again with a few beats. She drifted back to where Dan and Harry were standing and landed a lot more gracefully than the last time.

Shifting back she stood up straight and smiled.

Harry said, "That was perfect, 'Mione. As I said before, you've _got_ this.'

"That felt easy," she said. "That took very little effort, at all."

"It's not supposed to," he replied. "You should be able to stay up in the air for hours at a time. By the time you've come close to mastering how to fly, you're going to be able to fly from your home in northern London, all the way down to here.

"You'll learn about thermals and other forms of updrafts that'll help you gain plenty of altitude with little effort on your behalf, and how to find them to use them. There's no great trick to it. It's just what birds do."

"So, when I _really_ flapped my wings hard that last time..." she began.

"... You shot off that platform like a jet taking off from the Ark Royal," Dan finished.

Harry said, "In my animagus form I had _no_ hope in catching up to you. I had to use my phoenix ability to flash forward all the time just to keep up."

"So, I'm faster than you?" she asked Harry.

"Well, you sure fly faster than I do in a straight line already. But, I think I'll have the edge on you in turning and manoeuvring. And that's without using my phoenix abilities," he replied. "You have long glider's wings, longer than I'd expect for a crow; while I have an aeronautical acrobatic style of wing."

In his animagus form, Sirius came bounding around the corner from the front of the manor. He gave one mighty 'woof' as he passed, and headed for the other corner. Behind him came the dark grey wolf of Susan in a dead run. While Sirius looked like he was bounding away, Susan looked more like she was in a determined race of ground-eating speed.

"Well," said Dan. "It looks like Susan's getting the hang of four-foot running. She'll catch Lord Black easily at that rate."

Harry just grinned. "C'mon!" he said. "Let's head inside to get something to eat and recharge our magical cores."

Inside, Pixie was in the process of putting the last touches to an early lunch. They went into the parlour and were just starting to talk when Neville walked in the front door, laughing. The lad, still laughing hard, walked into the parlour and collapsed on one of the couches still giggling away.

"Nev?" asked Harry.

Gasping for breath and trying not to laugh, Neville replied, "Su... Susan was having trouble... getting the galloping motion down... Then she refused to run... because she said... it made her look... look silly... Sirius wouldn't hear of it... He made us... reassume our forms. Then he... then he... bit her on the bum and ran off!" That started Neville roaring with laughter again. "I think she's still... still chasing him!"

Chuckling, Harry said, "Well, I suppose that's one way to... motivate... a student."

"Excuse me?" said Dan, a bit shocked. "He bit her on the _bum_?"

"Oh, my!" said Hermione. "That wasn't very nice."

Still laughing, Neville nodded. "She leapt straight up in the air about six feet and 'yipped'!" He laughed again. "I don't think... she's very happy with him... at the moment!"

"If she was in her animagus form, it would be 'rump', rather than 'bum'. And I'd say he probably nipped her, rather than bit," said Harry. "But, if what we just witnessed out the back was any indication, I'd say it worked."

Sirius, in human form and clearly out of breath, burst in through the front door, slammed it behind himself, and bolted up the stairs.

A few seconds later, Susan, in her human form, burst in, also breathing heavily, and glared around. In a loud screeching voice she demanded, "Where is he?"

Harry called back, "He has fled the field of battle, My Lady. You are victorious!"

She came stomping into the parlour with her left hand flat on an area just below her left hip, still breathing hard. "Do you know what he did?" she growled.

Dan replied, with as straight a face as he could manage, "We heard."

Hermione rose from her chair and, taking Susan by the other hand, said, "Come on. Let's go see what damage he did." And led her from the room.

Dan looked at Harry with a curious look and asked, "He has fled the field of battle?"

Harry, still chuckling, shrugged and replied, "I didn't know what else to say that might stop her long enough to calm down."

While the girls were gone, Neville had managed to get control of himself long enough to stop laughing, and Pixie laid out a lunch for them all.

Hermione returned with Susan, who was still quite annoyed, and said, "No damage, but it left a bit of a mark."

Grinning, Harry rose and went to the foot of the stairs. Calling up he said, "You better come down here, Padfoot, and apologise! Lunch has been served!"

Returning to his seat, Harry decided to dig in while the others were doing the same.

A few moments later, Sirius stuck his head in around the door and said very contritely, "Sorry, Susan."

She just 'humphed' at him; then decided to ignore him.

Sirius came in and took a seat as far away from her as he could and, while still watching her warily, started to load his own plate.

After lunch they had a few more practice sessions with their animagus forms before Susan and Neville departed via the floo. Harry and Sirius side-along apparated Dan and Hermione back to their home before returning.

Finally alone, Harry asked, "What possessed you to bite her on the rump?"

"She needed to stop over-thinking about how to move in her form and just let nature do the rest. I needed to get her to stop thinking and just acting," replied Sirius. "But it worked, didn't it?"

Smiling, Harry replied, "Yes, but if she tells Madam Bones what you did..."

Sighing, Sirius replied, "I know. But, that's my problem. I'll deal with it if it arises. I'll just explain the same way I just did to you."

Sirius reported that Susan was now ready to just exercise her form, as she had it almost all down pat. She just needed to practice. Neville was the same. However, he also said that, though Neville was not as long-running as he or Susan, over shorter distances he was much faster than the other two. And he could leap pretty high, too.

And Harry reported how he was progressing with Hermione, and what happened on their third flight. And he was talking about how he was getting her over her acrophobia.

# # #

The rest of Monday passed without incident. It even looked like, either Susan hadn't told Amelia what happened, or Amelia didn't need an explanation, as there was no irate floo call from the Ossary.

After they left or were returned to their homes, Harry tried to get back to writing his book. But he was feeling 'antsy'. Tomorrow was the day he could finally pull Dobby out of the Dursley home and free him of the abuse he was suffering. Tomorrow was the day 'Harry Potter' came out of hiding. And, tomorrow was the day Albus Dumbledore was going to begin to learn what it meant to annoy Harry Potter.

He finally managed to get some more work done on his book. But there was the whole section that covered the amount of abuse he received that was giving him problems. Eventually, he just listed everything he witnessed through Myrrdin's time viewer of the timeline from which Myrrdin pulled him.

He listed the beatings, the times he was locked in his cupboard and for how long, the injuries he suffered and the periods of starvation. He listed when and where his abuse was reported and to whom. And what he thought happened as a result. He also questioned why nothing was done about it.

Then he removed a lot of the minor events, but still covered the major ones. And began to write it all out in as dispassionate a manner as could. He also mentioned he had left a lot of it out for 'brevity' as the book would become too overburdening on the reader if he hadn't.

He didn't notice when Pixie brought him tea and sandwiches. He didn't notice when Sirius came into the room and looked over his shoulder and was reading a lot of what he wrote, only noticing that his godfather had come in 'for a moment' and left. He didn't notice it starting to get dark and Pixie lighting the candles on his desk or elsewhere in the room. He was simply very focussed.

When he finally finished he sat back with a groan. He noticed it was quite dark outside. And he noticed he desperately needed to go to the toilet.

After his ablutions he went into the only other downstairs room he noticed was still lit; the kitchen. In there he found Sirius drinking tea and looking worried.

"Sirius?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

Spinning around to look at him a relieved Sirius said, "God, Pup! I thought you were never going to come up for air!"

Abashed, Harry said, "You should have come and talked to me if you were worried."

He came forward and sat on a chair at the table next to his godfather.

"No, Pup," said Sirius. "I had a look at what you were writing and I knew how much you were hating doing it. I knew it was going to be cathartic for you and knew you needed to just get through it. But, God, Pup!"

Sighing, Harry said, "Yeah, I understand. I _had_ to get it down on paper. And I _had_ to trim it right back. People would never believe one boy could endure so much if I left it all in. But, they'd also never believe how bad it was if I didn't list a lot of it down."

"Do you feel better for doing it?"

Thinking about it, Harry replied, "Yeah. I do. But... I also feel a little... embarrassed about it all still."

"Pup!" said Sirius. "Don't."

Sighing again, Harry said, "I know. I know it was not my fault. I know I was not to blame for any of it. I know I have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. But those feelings are still there. I'm slowly getting over it all. And Myrrdin helped one hell of a lot. But..."

"Pup" said Sirius quietly. "It's my fault. If I hadn't gone..."

"No!" interrupted Harry. "Stop it right there, Sirius. If you're not going to let me blame me, then I'm not going to let you blame you. _If _Mum and Dad hadn't trusted Pettigrew. _If_ people, my parents included, hadn't automatically assumed it was Remus who was the traitor. _If_ they hadn't joined Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. _If_ whatever.

"Pup" said Sirius quietly again.

"No!" interrupted Harry again. "We both know that people made their own choices based on what they knew. No one would have made the choices they did, except possibly Pettigrew, if they knew how things were going to turn out. The _only_ one who had a pretty fair idea about what was going to happen, and yet still let things run their course, was Albus frickin' Dumbledore."

"Then _stop_ feeling embarrassed, ashamed, guilty or whatever!" said Sirius firmly. "We both know the real fault lies with Dumbledore. And tomorrow is going to be a really dark day for him with what you... we... have planned for him. Focus on that!"

Harry sighed again and dropped his head to the tabletop. "None of this should have happened. I know what the original future held. I was supposed to be a very happy little boy who went to Hogwarts and, with his friends, made magical Britain a far better place to live."

Putting his hand on his godson's shoulder, Sirius said, "And you're still going to have those friends and make the country a better place to live. You and Myrrdin have seen to that. You and Myrrdin have set in motion events which will set things to rights."

"But," he said more firmly, "you need to remember you're not in this alone. You have eight of us directly in this with you. Plus, you have Her Majesty... whom you still haven't introduced me to, you know... and all her people right behind you to provide you the support you need from the mundane world.

"Pup," he sighed, "you need to let your friends and their families _help_ you. If there are things that need to be done, we can do a lot of that _for_ you. I know you have what you call a _mission_. But it's our mission now, too."

Harry lifted his head from the table and ran his fingers through his hair. "I feel responsible, at least, for pulling 'Mione, Susan and Neville... and their families... into this. They could have lived their lives without knowing any of this. At least until they were seventeen, at least."

"Again, no," replied Sirius. "Because of Dumbledore they had to brought in early. Besides, I've already heard from the others that it was Her Majesty who forced the rings on the other three, not you. You don't have any blame there."

Harry nodded.

"Now," said Sirius, sitting up straighter. "We both need to get some sleep in order to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for tomorrow. And, because I pretty much expected you to be like this tonight..."

Harry watched him pull a couple of small vials out of one of his pockets.

"...you need to drink one of these when you go to bed. Which, should be right about now," finished Sirius, handing one off to him. "And, as your godfather, I'm ordering you to take it."

Harry checked the time and then stood up. "Well, it looks like it's that time already," he said, grabbing the vial and heading off.

About twenty minutes later Sirius knocked on his door and checked in on him. Harry was fast asleep and the empty vial was on the bedside table. He quietly shut the door on his way back out.

# # #

The next morning Harry ate a continental style breakfast, but couldn't remember what he ate when he thought about it later. He was prowling around the downstairs of the manor waiting for Dobby to arrive.

Harry watched the clock as it wound inexorably towards the appointed time. Each second like a minute, each minute like an hour, each hour like an eternity.

Sirius had also had an early breakfast and was sitting on one of the couches in the parlour just watching Harry. He had already asked the boy to sit down on a couple of occasions and was ignored. Now he just sat and waited.

At just after 8.00am Dobby popped into existence alongside Harry, still in his Polyjuiced form. Though he'd been expecting him, Harry was still quite startled.

Sirius just sat up straighter.

"Hello, Master Harry!" said 'Harry' excitedly, offering Harry his Hogwarts letter. "Can I drink the potion antidote now?"

"In a minute, Dobby," said Harry, giving the Polyjuiced elf a hug. "But first, I'm changing clothes with you."

Harry had Dobby stand alongside him. Then he went through the carefully remembered and practiced ritual that transferred all Dobby's scars, external and internal, to Harry. It was very old magic; best forgotten.

The flash of magic indicated to Sirius something major had just happened. Then Harry bent forward and groaned.

Sirius leapt forward and demanded, "What the _Hell_ was that, Pup?"

"I just transferred all the scars and injuries from Dobby's body to mine. They are mine to bear, not his."

"You what?!" bellowed Sirius.

"For what is to come, and for what I will probably need to prove, _I_ need to have the scars and remains of the injuries Dobby has had to bear in my stead. I just need a few seconds to get used to it," replied Harry.

"Bloody Hell, Pup! That was completely unnecessary," growled Sirius.

Harry straightened up and stared his godfather in the eyes and said, "It was necessary. If I'm even injured at Hogwarts, I need to have the effects of the Dursleys'... discipline... upon my body, or the whole concept falls apart." Then he took a few deep breaths and stepped back from his godfather, and let his magic heal the last of the still healing damage.

"Damn, it, Pup!" growled Sirius again. "You should have discussed it with me first."

Harry just ignored him.

Once he was finished, Harry then cast the spell to switch clothes with Dobby. He said his temporary goodbye's to them both and apparated directly into the entry hall of the Dursleys' residence. The Dursleys were talking in the kitchen and it was clear they had not yet noticed that 'Harry' had been missing for about a minute.

Harry opened the door and walked outside. He looked at his letter and then ran off. Now to go and see Mrs Figg.

About fifteen minutes later he'd managed to work himself up into appearing upset and flustered and ran up to the door of Arabella Figg. He banged on it calling, "Mrs Figg! Mrs Figg!"

A few moments later Arabella Figg opened the door and Harry walked past her. Acting all upset he showed the lady his letter and sobbed, "Do you know anything about this? I'm supposed to be a wizard! I'm a freak! Nothing but a freak!"

Arabella, quite taken back about Harry's actions, said, "Harry? What's going..." and she noticed his Hogwarts letter in his hand. "Oh, I see you have your Hogwarts letter."

Harry looked shocked and stunned. "You knew?!" he blurted. "You knew about this? You knew I'm a wizard?"

"Well," she stammered, "I suspected you were..."

"What's this about stuff I have to buy?" demanded Harry with tears in his eyes. "I don't have any money! The Dursleys won't give me a penny! What am I supposed to do?"

"Harry," she tried again. "You need to calm down..."

Riding over her, Harry cried, "How am I supposed to buy any of this stuff?"

"Harry," she tried again. "I can get..."

"No! How am I supposed to get any of this stuff?" he cried shaking his letter in Arabella's face.

"Gringotts, Harry..." she tried again.

"Gringotts? What's Gringotts?" Harry demanded acting even more agitated.

"It's the wizarding bank, Harry," she said, trying to calm the clearly distressed boy down. "Wait. There's someone I can..."

Again, riding over her he cried, "I need money to buy this stuff! How am I supposed to find a wizarding bank? I wouldn't even know where to go?"

"It's in Diagon Alley, Harry; just off Charing Cross Road in London," she said.

"There's no such thing!" said Harry "You're _lying_!"

"No, Harry, I'm not. You get to it through the pub called the Leaky Cauldron," she explained. "Just let me contact..."

"No!" cried Harry again. "It's _all lies_! I'm _not a freak_! The Dursleys, and now _you_, are always just mean to me! I'm running away! _Number Four, Privet Drive is not my home!_"

Suddenly, there was a mighty flash. Harry, the real Harry, was even dumbfounded by it. He didn't realise just how much magic was involved in the blood wards on the Dursley home. Well, one thing was for sure, that had to have made alarm bells ring.

He had to give himself a few seconds to try and absorb what had happened. It was lucky that even Arabella Figg had felt the effects of the wards coming down. She, too, was quite stunned.

Harry took the opportunity to bolt out the door, out onto the road, and run for the alley between Wisteria Walk and Magnolia Crescent. Once in the alley and out of sight he quickly apparated back to the Pottery.

Back in his own home, Harry bent forward and took a couple of deep breaths.

Coming in from the parlour, Sirius asked, "How'd it go?"

Standing up and looking at his godfather, Harry said, "Even easier than I thought. The idea of a very upset little boy, especially Harry Potter, made her answer the questions I asked just to try and calm me down. Once I had them, I bolted out of there for a spot I knew where I'd not be seen, and apparated back here. But... Damn!... the feedback from the wards coming down was one hell of a shock!"

Sirius nodded and said, "Very good. We'll let the others know. Now we just wait for just before 12.30pm..."

# # #

Dumbledore stomped back into his office in a furious mood. That damned Bones woman accusing him of bribing members of the Wizengamot was intolerable. He didn't care one whit that it was true. He was Albus Dumbledore, Leader of the Light, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the ICW. He was _not_ some common wizard who could be pushed around. How _dare_ she!

It took him a few moments to notice his little trinkets indicating the wards on the Potter boy and his home were either dead or going nuts.

In shock he quickly grabbed some floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. "Arabella Figg!" he yelled.

Before the floo even properly connected he was bellowing, "Arabella? Arabella!"

Very quickly he heard back.

"Albus? Oh, thank God!" he heard the woman reply. "It's Harry, sir! He's run off!"

"Arabella, I'm stepping through!" he declared.

With the flash of green flame Dumbledore was gone from his office.

# # #

Stepping through into the Wisteria Walk home of Arabella Figg, Dumbledore didn't even wait for the usual pleasantries.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Harry received his Hogwarts letter today," began the upset woman. "He came here with it... It must have been straight after he received it... He was all upset.

"He was yelling and crying. He demanded to know if I knew anything about it and I must've let slip I knew about Hogwarts.

"Stupid woman!" he bellowed. "Get on with it!"

"Next thing I know, Albus, he's demanding to know how to get his school supplies. He didn't give me any time at all to call you. He was yelling and demanding and I was trying to calm him down.

"Then he said something about the Dursleys' home no longer being his and there was a great flash of magic. I think it scared him a lot and he ran off. I haven't seen him since."

"He knows about Diagon Alley?" demanded the old man.

"Yes, and about how to get to it," she replied. She'd never seen Dumbledore so angry.

"How bloody long ago was this?" he roared.

"A... about an hour and a half ago, Albus."

Dumbledore just grabbed some floo powder off the mantelpiece, threw it in the fireplace, and called, "Headmaster's Office!"

He was gone in another flash of green flame.

Arabella Figg had never been so scared of someone in her life. Even the threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named didn't scare her as much as Albus Dumbledore did that day.

# # #

Dumbledore apparated from his office out to the muggle world in an effort to try and head the boy off before he could make the Charing Cross Road entrance to Diagon Alley. He was wearing the invisibility cloak he had 'borrowed' from James Potter and was apparating as quickly as he could from one point to another.

He checked bus stops, train stations, the footpath between them, the path from Charing Cross Station to the Leaky Cauldron. He couldn't find the boy.

Eventually, he entered the Alley and went directly to the bank. He demanded the Potter Account Keeper, Block-something, tell him if and when Harry Potter showed up. He told the goblin the boy had run away and, as his magical guardian, it was his right to take the boy home again. He demanded the goblins not interfere in his guardian duties.

After half an hour the goblins had had enough and evicted him from the building.

Knowing what school supplies the boy would be needing, if he did come to get his supplies, Dumbledore went from shop to shop. Where he could, he pleaded he be informed as soon as the boy arrived. Where he couldn't, he bribed.

Yet more galleons flowing from his hands because of that boy.

He said he believed the boy had run away from home because he was throwing a tantrum. He said the boy had run off because he was impatient to gather his school supplies. He conned, he wheedled, he lied.

Eventually, he left. He'd set in place watchers for the boy and had other places he could look for him. He'd try to move around the Little Whinging neighbourhood under cover of the invisibility cloak and see if the boy had not even left the area.

Even after that he'd given up, realising the boy was no longer in the area, and returned back to Hogwarts to see if his lookouts spotted him.

# # #

At 12.20pm Harry, for the first time as Harry, left the floo at the top end of Diagon Alley. He was wearing an old tatty baseball style cap he, supposedly, found. The only things of any value on him where the copy of his parent's Will he had folded in a back pocket, the letter from Hogwarts in his other back pocket, and his hidden rings.

Earlier, Harry was able to spend some time with Dobby and make sure he was alright. After Dobby took the Polyjuice antidote he was laid up for a couple hours, but was okay well before Harry had to leave for the Alley. Once he'd recovered, he asked if he had done everything right. Harry hugged him and said they'd talk about it soon. Pixie tended to him while they were gone.

In the Alley and glancing around to make sure he couldn't spot Dumbledore, Harry hurried down the Alley towards Gringotts. He noticed Sirius near the top of the Alley follow him for a bit before peeling off and away into one of the shops. Sirius was busying himself visiting shops and asking if anyone had seen his godson. But, he was doing it more to see if Dumbledore had been in earlier asking the same questions.

Dumbledore had been through the Alley about an hour before. He'd visited those shops he was sure Harry would visit if he was there for his school supplies. Otherwise, he tried to get into the bank to search it. The goblins rebuffed him.

Augusta and Neville had been there and ensured they were in a couple of the same shops as Dumbledore to check if the old man had, indeed, paid a few folks off to contact him if Harry turned up. Harry now knew at least a couple where he'd make sure he'd make his identity clear.

Harry hurried up the stairs of the bank. Inside he found the Grangers anxiously waiting for him. He went to lead them over to a teller but, before he could approach one, a goblin approached him first, *Greetings, Lord Potter; I am Wheelock. I trust your enemies lay dying and their gold now fills your vaults?*

Taken aback, Harry only replied, *As with you, Wheelock. Why did you approach me?*

*Director Ragnock is expecting you and has asked me to convey you directly to his office,* said Wheelock. *Account Keeper Blockrig will also be there.*

Hesitating for just a moment, Harry said, *We will be honoured to meet with the Director, may his enemies meet with an early and bloody death. Please, escort us.*

The goblin bobbed its head once, spun on its heel and marched across the main floor of the bank expecting his charges to follow him.

Harry said to the Grangers, "Come on. We're invited upstairs by the Director." Harry then followed after the goblin. The Grangers hurried just a little to catch up.

Hermione came up alongside Harry and said, "Harry, I understood everything you and he said."

Nodding, Harry said, "The goblin language, gobbledegook, was on the last cube, remember?"

Frowning, Hermione said, "Oh, yeah."

Wheelock led them directly to the doors of Director's main office. He knocked once, waited for the command to enter, pushed the door open and held it for the humans to enter.

Inside, Ragnock was sitting at his desk. He looked at his guests before turning to Wheelock and saying in English, "Thank you, Wheelock; you may go."

Turning away, the Director climbed down from his chair and walked around his desk. He said, "I am informed it is your intent to allow the magics of the Potter and Black rings to be set free. And for Harry Potter to come out of hiding today."

He indicated a small business discussion table with a few chairs around it. "Please, be seated."

The Director ordered one of his guards to summon Account Keeper Blockrig, plus two other Account Keepers. After their group was seated, a tea service was brought in.

While they waited, he said, "Albus Dumbledore came into Gringotts almost two hours ago and demanded he be informed if you came in. We, politely of course, refused him. He left quite upset."

Harry just snorted and said, "Do you know if he left the Alley?"

"He left after paying a visit to a couple of the retail outlets in the Alley. He departed over an hour ago."

Blockrig appeared only moments later with the Potter account books. And less than a minute later the, supposedly, other two Account Keepers entered. Harry recognised one as, Cavepick, the Account Keeper for the Slytherin account. He'd not met the other one.

"Lord Potter," said the Director, "Account Keeper Blockrig has matters to discuss with you ere you depart this day. However, he is ready to provide any assistance you may need now."

Turning to Hermione, he said, "Lady Ravenclaw, this..." he said, indicating the goblin Harry didn't know, "... is Stoneaxe. He is the Account Keeper for the Ravenclaw account. He has been awaiting your arrival."

"Ah!" said Harry, turning to the Grangers and starting to rise. "I'll wait outside while you... get acquainted with your Account Keeper."

"No," said Hermione. "Please stay, Harry."

Harry hesitated and looked at the Grangers. They all seemed to want him to stay.

He sighed and, retaking his seat, said, "Very well."

Stoneaxe, checking to ensure he was to continue said, "My Lady, it is an honour to finally meet you. I have with me the account ledger of the Ravenclaw account. You will be pleased to know the balance of the account currently holds approximately 9.5 million galleons.

"There are no current investments other than one quarter ownership of the Hogwarts castle and the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, plus the same for the lands on which it, and the village of Hogsmeade sits. You receive one eighth of one percent of the net takings of the school, and one quarter of the takings of the net rent from the Hogsmeade properties."

"The account is growing. However, I believe I can greatly improve on the return from investments by making further investments elsewhere with the liquid assets now available to you. I seek your approval to begin those."

Hermione looked back at the goblin. Hesitated a little and said, "I'll need to discuss this with my parents. Does it need to be done now?"

"No, My Lady," he said. "I stand ready to provide you service at any time you may need me."

Harry said to Hermione, "I take it, then, you have not enquired yet into the creation of a magical house account?"

"No, not yet," said Dan. "There's plenty of time for that when we have enough money to make it worthwhile."

"I need it done, Dan," said Harry firmly. "I need the Magical House of Granger set up for when we take our seats on the Wizengamot to block any attempts by members of that body to block Hermione taking her seat."

Turning to the Director, he said, "Director Ragnock, we need to create a Magical House. We will need the paperwork for that commenced immediately."

"Lord Potter," the Director replied, "it will require, at minimum, the purchase of a vault, and the deposit of at least fifty thousand galleons into it, for the paperwork to have any chance of successfully being accepted."

Nodding, Harry said, "Open a vault in the family name of Granger. Transfer one hundred thousand galleons from the Potter vaults into it..."

"Harry, no!" exclaimed Dan, beating Emma to the punch by a heartbeat. She said, "We will not accept such an extravagant gift!"

Turning to them both, Harry said, "It isn't a gift. It's one of the methods by which I'm going to... redesign... the wizarding world community. It's one of the steps through which I'm going to cut the legs out from under collective rich pureblood families. Please let me do this."

Thinking, Dan said, "Then it'll be a loan, only."

Harry nodded and grumbled, "Fine." Turning to the Director he said, "Please draw up the loan papers at half a per cent per annum. I'll also pay for the vault out of the Potter accounts, as it's my idea."

While he was talking, Stoneaxe was madly writing away on a parchment. Once he was finished, he handed it to the Director, who read it before summoning one of the guards. Handing it to the goblin he said, "See to this immediately."

StoneAxe then commenced writing on a second parchment.

The goblin guard left with the original parchment but returned moments later without it.

Blockrig had also been madly writing away since Harry said it would be a loan. He handed the parchment to the Director who read it before handing the document to Harry to sign. Harry signed it and then handed it to Hermione. "This is the loan document for the one hundred thousand galleons at one half of one percent interest calculated per annum."

She read it and handed it to her father, who also read it. He then handed it back to Hermione and nodded. Hermione signed it and handed it back to the Director, who said to her, "Copies will be made for both parties and available to you when next you visit us." He handed it to Blockrig.

Blockrig handed his second parchment to the Director, who checked it and handed it to Harry. Reading quickly through it, Harry signed it and offered it to Dan, saying, "This creates the vault in the name of Granger. I've signed the section relating to payment of the vault."

Dan read it, nodded, and handed it to Hermione. She quickly read it, signed it and handed it back to the Director, who said to her, "The vault will be created for you by the time you next visit us. The keys will also be ready by that time. Is there someone whom you want to hold the second key for you?"

Hermione thought for only a moment before replying, "Harry."

A little startled, Harry replied, "Thank you; but, no. Your father should hold your spare key. For a start, you may need someone to access it for you while you're at Hogwarts."

Nodding, she turned to the Director and asked, "Can it be my father?"

The Director, thinking furiously, replied, "A non-magical having a key for a vault. It's never been done before, that I can recall... But, there's no reason I can see against it. A key holder does not need to have magic in order to use the key."

"Then, I choose my father," said Hermione firmly.

The Director nodded and wrote a small note on the bottom of the vault creation document. Then he handed it off to Stoneaxe.

While they were talking a goblin entered and handed a small sheaf of parchments to the Director. He read them and passed them to StoneAxe who, glancing through them, began to write furiously upon them.

The Director then turned to Harry and said, "Now, Lord Potter; shall I remove those blocks on the Potter and Black rings?"

Harry nodded and held forth his right hand. He had it display his Head of House Potter ring, first.

Director Ragnock drew his small wand from his vest and waved it over the ring muttering a small incantation. The ring flashed once.

Harry then switched to the Heir of House Black ring and the Director made the same wand movements and incantation. It then flashed once.

Harry withdrew his hand and said, "We'll leave the Slytherin ring for now. The other Heirs agree with me and do not want the founders rings recognised as yet."

"Right now," said the Director. "The ring notification will have gone to the Wizengamot and your magical guardian, Lord Black, that the rings have been taken up. As we know Dumbledore was never the guardian he will, of course, only be notified via the offices of the Wizengamot. I suspect it won't be long before he finds out."

To the Director, Harry said, "Let him." Then turning to Blockrig, he said, "Okay, Account Keeper Blockrig; you're now free to begin the recovery process of the assets removed from my trust fund vault."

Grinning, Blockrig said with a small bow, "Thank you, My Lord. I have eagerly awaited this day for almost a decade."

Director Ragnock said to Harry, "Is there anything else you need of Account Keeper Blockrig at this time?"

"No," replied Harry. "I believe he now has quite a bit of work on his plate this day."

Turning to Blockrig, the Director said, "You may go. May your enemies rue this day, and fortune favour your endeavours."

Blockrig quickly left with Cavepick. StoneAxe left moments later.

To Harry, the Director said with a smile, "You have just made him a very happy goblin."

Harry replied with a frown, "He unjustly believed his honour had been ruined and he had brought shame to his clan with what had been happening."

"It was only _he_ who believed that, Lord Potter," replied the Director. "If I felt he had caused such, I would have taken his head long ago."

That last shocked the Grangers. To Dan that seemed, a tad excessive.

Turning to the Grangers, Harry asked, "Well? Shall we go and have some fun?"

Nodding, they all rose.

Turning to the Director, Harry said, *May our business here this day bring us great wealth and leave our enemies nothing but dust in history's pages.*

Smiling and with a small bow, the Director responded in English, "And may our enemies be left quivering and begging for our mercy before this day is past."

# # #

After leaving the office and visiting his vault to pick up some more galleons. Though, truth be told, Harry wanted to show the Grangers just how much was in the main Potter vault. They made their way back out onto the Alley. Harry made sure his Potter House ring was always displayed on his finger.

As they were leaving Dan made a mirror call Harry suspected was to Sirius. Dan had said into the mirror, "Show time!" Before immediately disconnecting the call without a response.

As they left the bank, Harry immediately led them down to the bottom of the Alley to visit Ollivanders and the trunk shop, next door.

Entering Ollivanders, Harry approached the counter and rang the little bell. A moment later, Ollivander came walking forward from between the high shelves of wands.

"Back again, Mister Potter? Finally here to purchase your first wand?" he asked. "And with Miss Granger, I see. Vine wood with a dragon heartstring core."

"Yes, sir," replied Harry.

"Hmmm," said Mr Ollivander, giving Harry a piercing look. "Well, now - Mister Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"I'm right-handed," said Harry.

"Hold out your arm. That's it. Oh? I see it's Lord Potter now. My apologies." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Lord Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Harry realised that the tape measure was now measuring on its own, but he expected it. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor.

"Right then, Lord Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -"

Harry tried - but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Ollivander.

"No, no - here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried. And tried. He knew what Ollivander was waiting for, but wouldn't provide the hints lest it give him away. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the front counter, but the more wands Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

'There it is,' thought Harry. He took the wand and felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.

Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious… curious…"

Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Lord Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious, indeed, that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry, of course, already knew that. But he still gave the impression of being shocked at the news.

"Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Lord Potter… After all, He Who Must Not Be Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."

Harry paid the seven Galleons for his wand and Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

Outside the shop, Emma said, "That man gives me the creeps!"

Harry snorted and said, "He does that to everyone. I think he enjoys the sensation he causes within people. It makes him come across all _mysterious_."

Harry then led them into the furniture shop next door where he'd buy a trunk.

The shopkeeper was at the front, this time, so no need to ring the bell.

Walking up to the man, Harry said, "Hello, I'm here about buying a trunk. Well, two, actually."

The shopkeeper said, "Certainly. I take it you're attending first year at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, we both are," said Harry indicating Hermione. "This is my new best friend, Hermione."

"Hello, my dear," said the older man, bowing to Hermione. But I seem to recall you being in here not that long ago to purchase a trunk."

Hermione replied, "Yes. So Harry only needs the one."

"Very well," the shopkeeper said before turning to Harry, "Standard trunk, as well, Mister..."

"Potter," said Harry promptly. "But the goblins told me it's _Lord_ Potter, now," he said, holding up his hand with the ring displayed with a big smile.

"Oh, my!" said the old shop keeper, clearly taken aback. "My.. apologies, My Lord."

"Oh, don't worry about it," said Harry with an even bigger grin. "Just call me Harry!"

"Oh... err.. thank you, My.. Harry," the man stammered.

Taking pity on the man, Harry said, "Now, I've heard you have special types of trunks. You know, like Doctor Who's Tardis. Bigger on the inside than on the outside?"

Not knowing who Doctor Who was, or what a tardis was, the old man mentally latched onto the 'bigger on the inside than the outside' part.

"Yes, trunks fitted with wizarding space similar to a mokeskin bag. Actually, our special trunks are lined with mokeskin for just that purpose," he said, now warming to the sale. "Come this way, please." And led them off to the rear of the shop.

In a more restricted area at the rear, the shopkeeper indicated a shelf full of trunks near identical in appearance. "Now," he said. "Is there anything special you want within your trunk?"

Looking like he was thinking furiously, Harry asked, "Ummm... What sort of things can I have?"

Expecting the question, the shopkeeper replied, "Well, depending on what you want, we can compartmentalise the interior with everything from living quarters to simple storage space. You can have a bedroom, a library, a study, a combined library study, a walk in wardrobe, cool storage, a potions lab, masses of shelving, an entertaining area, et cetera."

"Umm..." said Harry. "What about locks?"

"Ahhh.. you can have anything from a normal keyed lock through to a lock keyed to your magical core, or even multiple magical cores. Plus, there's ones linked to blood, a password or three, or combinations thereof."

Nodding, and pretending to think for a while, Harry said, "Okay, can I have two that have space for a walk in wardrobe, a combined study and library, a potions lab, and extra shelving? And I want both linked to an individual's magical core; and can you make it that family house elves can get into them? Actually, better make it four."

"Errr... yes, My Lord," the now, quite stunned, shopkeeper replied. "You want... four... trunks?"

"Umm.. Harry?" asked Emma from slightly behind.

"Yes, four identical trunks," replied Harry. "Oh, and I trust I can rely on your discretion in this?"

Looking a little affronted, enough to pull him out of his shock, the shopkeeper said, "Of course, My Lord!"

"Excellent!" stated Harry, "I want three of them with house coats of arms on them. One each with the House of Potter, the House of Bones and the House of Longbottom. Leave the fourth blank, for now. I'll have a crest for that one later."

"Harry!" called Emma, louder this time.

Turning to look at her, Harry asked, "Yes, Ma'am?"

"Harry James Potter," she glared at him. "What do you think you're doing?"

As if it was a mere bagatelle, Harry replied, "I'm making sure... us four... are going to have what we need for our time at Hogwarts. Nothing more; nothing less."

"Harry," said Emma a little ominously. "We talked about this."

"Yes, I know," he replied quite calmly. "I'm not allowed to buy you any more than one gift. Don't worry, I won't."

Turning back to the shopkeeper, he asked, "How long will that take?"

"Errr... I can have them ready for you inside a week," he replied.

"Good," replied Harry. "They'll be for myself, Hermione Granger here, Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones. I'll make sure everyone comes in and picks theirs up. You can explain to each how to configure them, then. Okay?"

"Y... yes, My Lord," replied the rather confounded shopkeeper.

"Excellent!" said Harry. "I take it I can pay directly from my account via this ring?" He said, holding up his hand.

"Errr... Yes, My Lord," said the old shopkeeper. Leading the way back out to the front of the store.

Harry left the imprint of the ring and his signature as authorisation for the old shopkeeper to deduct the funds from the main Potter vault. And they left the store.

# # #


	17. Dumbledore's Second Bad Day (Part 2)

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Seventeen - Dumbledore's Second Bad Day (Part 2)

Out in the street, Emma spun him around to glare at him. "Harry, what did you think you were doing?"

"All four of us are going to need the space in our trunks, above and beyond what students normally need," he explained. "The trunks give them all a space into which they can retreat to work on matters relating to their high offices. That's something normal students aren't also tasked with.

"I also wanted trunks with high security so that others can't go in there to spy upon them once we come out into the open. Trust me on this, they're a necessity. And, as I'm way and above, the most wealthy of the four of us, I can afford it. If it makes you feel happier, I've finally given them each the congratulatory gift I should have given them a while back."

"Well, I don't like it!" replied Emma, firmly.

Harry said quietly but firmly, "Ma'am, your daughter is a Countess! This is not an expensive gift for the level of office we're talking about here."

Backing off a bit, he said, "Oh, and you're going to need to bring with you, the next time you come into the Alley, a pretty decent image of the Granger family crest. It should go on her trunk, and a copy of it should be made part of the application for the creation of the Magical House of Granger."

Dan, trying to placate his wife, said, "Well, we need to get a move on if we want old Dumbledore to find us."

Still fuming a little, Emma just gave a curt nod.

"Okay," said Harry a lot more calmly, "you folks know what stores we need to visit to get the first year supplies, so how about you lead the way?"

Emma took the lead and marched off back up the Alley. On the way they stopped in, first, Madam Malkin's for Harry's fitting. He needed his set of uniforms.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she asked Harry. Then seeing Hermione, she said, "Oh, I remember you, dearie."

"I'm here with Harry, Ma'am," replied Hermione. "He needs his uniform and robes."

Turning to look back at Harry rather closely, she said, "Harry?"

"Harry Potter, Ma'am," said Harry. "My new best friend Hermione here," he said, indicating Hermione, "said this is where she came to get her uniform. So I came, too!"

"Umm... yes, Mister Potter," said the little lady with a look of surprise.

"It's _Lord_ Potter, actually, Ma'am," said Harry, once more showing his ring before saying brightly, "But you can call me Harry!"

"Oh... errr... yes... Harry," said the old woman shocked at the display of the ring. "Umm... this way, please. She said leading the way behind a rather large and thick curtain towards the rear of the shop."

Harry started to head through and noticed the Grangers hanging back. He turned to them and said, "Well? Coming?"

Dan replied, "Ummm... Harry... you're going to need to get changed... and..."

Harry shrugged and said, "I don't mind."

Emma firmly said, "We'll be across the Alley at Fortescue's getting an ice cream while we're waiting, okay? It's going to take about half an hour."

"Okay," he replied. Before turning and heading into the fitting room with Madam Malkin.

After his measurements were all taken, with the old witch saying, "You're just so thin!" he waited as she went to collect a set of uniforms and brought them into the room. He knew the old witch was a bit of a gossip so took the opportunity to show someone else in the wizarding world the scars and marks of the beatings Dobby had received at the hands of the Dursleys.

"And why are you wearing these rags?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't deserve new clothes. I'm a freak, so I only get hand-me-downs from my cousin, Dudley. And he's really big," he said in a matter-of-fact voice.

The old witch frowned at that but let it pass.

"You can go into the change room here..." she began, but Harry had already whipped his long-sleeved shirt off over his head. He wasn't wearing an undershirt under it, so he was naked to the waist.

After taking one look at his torso, the old witch exclaimed, "Oh, my, God!"

Pretending to flush with embarrassment, Harry spun around and presented his back to her. "Sorry, Ma'am," he timidly said.

Now staring at his back, Madam Malkin said in a very quiet voice, "Dear... sweet... Merlin!"

Harry quickly pulled his shirt back over his head and turned around. The old woman was looking back at him quite horrified.

"Sorry, Ma'am. I shouldn't have done that," he said. Then, perking up a bit, he asked, "Are those for me to try on?" indicating the pile of folded uniforms the old witch held in her hands.

"Errr... yes," she quietly replied.

Harry took them and headed into one of the change rooms. He only found the pants to be a little loose and, on exiting, showed her.

The old witch was still staring at him a little horrified. She asked, "Who... who did that to you?"

"Did what, Ma'am?" he asked.

"Th... those marks... those scars?"

"Oh, that was my Uncle Vernon and my cousin Dudley. That's where I've been living since my drunk father and my whore mother were killed in the car crash," he said. "My Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia said I deserved it, though. Because I was such a bad boy and a freak. It's okay, though. I don't think I need to go back there, any more. I'm going to get a room at the Leaky Cauldron now I've got some money.

"Anyway, these pants are a little loose," he went on, changing the subject. "Can I get smaller pants?"

"You're going to put on a bit of weight once you reach Hogwarts, My... Harry," said the old witch quite distracted and horrified by what she was hearing. "You can wear a belt until you start to get some weight back on."

Harry frowned at her and said, "I don't like belts. That's one of the things my Uncle Vernon used to whip me with."

The old woman nearly fell into a nearby chair. Sitting down with tears brimming in her eyes, she said, "That's… not what belts are for, Harry. You'll need to wear one while at Hogwarts. They're part of the uniform."

"Oh," said Harry softly, looking down at the ground. "Well, if I must."

"Oh, Harry!" the old woman started to cry. Harry wasn't prepared for that so tried to head it off.

"Umm...," he stammered. "I was also told I can have my family crest put on my robe. Can I have that, too, please?"

Stifling her weeping, the old woman rose and walked towards him. "Of course, you can, My Lord," she said more firmly. "It would be my honour to attach it myself before you come back to collect it."

"No," he said, "it's Harry, remember? I'd prefer it if you called me that. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley only ever called me 'Boy' or 'Freak'. I like my name."

Nearly crying again, the old witch said, "Thank you, Harry," she quietly replied. "I am honoured."

"Why?" he asked.

"Pardon?"

"Why?" he asked again. "I'm only a kid who just found out he's supposed to be a wizard. I mean, I didn't know I was a wizard until I received my Hogwarts letter, this morning. I was supposed to be going to Stonewall High Comprehensive for school in September, until I received my letter."

"Oh, Merlin! Harry. A muggle school?" she asked, shocked.

"Muggle? What's muggle?"

"Muggles are non-magical folk. Those without magic," she replied.

"Then why not call them non-magical? 'Muggle' sounds like a nasty derogatory name," he said, firmly with a frown.

"I'm sorry, My... Harry. I didn't mean to sound offensive. I've never considered it to be such," she replied.

Harry looked back at her and with a firm voice said, "Well, I think it is. My Aunt and Uncle may be non-magical folks, and I may hate them, they used to lock me in the cupboard under the stairs for a long time, but I'd never call them a name like that."

"Once again, My Lord, I apologise," she said a bit contritely and still horrified.

Harry gave a firm nod and, changing the subject, said, "Call me Harry, please. The goblins said I could pay for all this by using my ring."

He held up his hand to show her his ring. "Is that okay?"

Once more getting control of herself, Madam Malkin stood up straighter and said, "Yes, Harry; you may. Bring your purchases and come back through to the front, please."

Harry headed for the front on the other side of the counter. A few moments later, Madam Malkin came through carrying a second, larger pile of clothing.

"Harry," she said. "It's your birthday in about a week, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Harry brightly. "How'd you know that?"

Hesitating, she said, "I just do. Now, as an early birthday present I'm also giving you all these new clothes..."

"No!" exclaimed Harry. "Don't do that! I don't _deserve_ new clothes. And I _especially_ don't deserve birthday presents. I'm a freak and a burden on everybody! I'll just wear these," he said indicating what he was wearing.

Again, nearly choking up, the old witch said, "I'll... I'll just put them aside for you... in case you change your mind."

"No, that's alright," said Harry. "I've got money now, remember? I'll pay for it when I come back. You shouldn't buy me anything. Give them to somebody who deserves them."

Harry paid for his new school uniform using his ring imprint and asked, "Can I leave them here until I come back for my robe? It just seems silly only taking part of my uniform and coming back for the rest."

"Yes, Harry; you may," she replied picking up the pile, still choked up. "I'll tie them up and leave them under the counter with your name on them. Then, when your robe is ready, I'll put them all together for you."

"Great," said Harry with a big smile. "I've got to come back in a week, anyway. So, is it alright if I leave it until then?"

"That will be fine, Harry," she replied. "I look forward to seeing you then."

"Okay, bye!" he said brightly turning around and heading for the door. He stopped, turned back and said, "Oh, and thank you." Before turning once more for the door and heading out to cross the Alley to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

As soon as he walked out the door, Madam Malkin walked straight over to the fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. "Aurors!" she barked.

# # #

Dumbledore was pacing his office. He was trying to think of some way... any way... he could find the boy before anyone else did. He couldn't afford for anyone to get him to the bank or the aurors before he got to him.

Suddenly there was a flash from the floo.

"Mister Dumbledore, Sir?" he heard.

"Yes," he barked, after hurrying over.

"It's Mundungus Fletcher, Sir," the voice said. "I've spotted young Mister Potter."

"Where is he?" barked Dumbledore.

"I get paid the reward, right, Sir?" Fletcher asked.

"Yes, yes," Dumbledore snarled. "Now, where _is_ he?!"

"I just saw him coming out of Madam Malkin's and going across to Fortescue's ice cream parlour, Sir," snivelled Fletcher. "I'll get my money right away, won't I?"

"Yes, damn it!" snarled Dumbledore. "Now, get out of the way, I'm coming through!"

"Yes, Sir!" the old thief said.

Dumbledore stepped through into the public floo in Diagon Alley.

# # #

After receiving a very tearful floo call from Madam Malkin about that 'poor Potter boy' Amelia summoned her two top aurors who were currently in the outer office to her personal office.

"Shacklebolt, Scrimgeour; get me two teams together, right now," she ordered. "I've just received a report from the Alley from Madam Malkin about a boy who's been badly abused. He's now left her shop but he's still in the Alley. I want him found, I want him brought immediately here, and I want a report from the Malkin woman. Move!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" they both said. Scrimgeour asked, "Do we know who the boy is?"

Grimly, Amelia said, "Harry Potter!"

"Oh, Merlin!" exclaimed Scrimgeour.

"Move, damn it!" ordered Amelia in her most authoritarian, Head of the DMLE, loud voice.

They moved.

'And let the fun begin,' thought Amelia.

# # #

Harry was sitting down with the Grangers at an outside table enjoying an ice cream when he suddenly felt a hand grab him by the shoulder and lift him out of his seat.

"Harry! Harry, my boy!" said Dumbledore in as friendly a voice as possible. "We need to get you out of here, right away. It's too..."

Having already dropped his ice cream when he was wrenched out of his seat... and he was enjoying it, too... Harry was a little startled, at first.

"_Arrrrghhhh!_" he screamed. "_Help! Help! A dirty old man has grabbed me!_"

Dumbledore, startled by the outburst, almost let go. He then just gripped tighter.

Harry tried his best to kick Dumbles in the shins as hard and as often as he could.

After one swift and painful kick to his shin, Dumbledore managed to drag Harry a bit away from the table where he was sitting with people the old man had never seen before.

Harry was still kicking out but was now also trying to pull the old man's beard out by the roots.

"_Help!_" he continued to scream. "_A dirty old man is trying to drag me away and play with my naughty boy bits!_"

"Harry!" cried Dumbledore still trying to drag Harry away. "You need to stop this at once! I'm here to take you home!" By now Dumbledore had managed to drag him into the middle of the Alley.

Harry continued to scream, "_Arrrrghhhh! I don't know you, you dirty old man! Somebody help me!_"

Dan had already risen to his feet and was boring in on Dumbledore. He roared, "_Now see here, you filthy old bugger! You unhand that boy at once!_"

Harry heard someone call, "_Somebody summon the aurors!_" and someone else call back, "_They're on their way!_"

A crowd had started to gather. Many recognised Dumbledore but had no idea as to the identity of the small boy.

Meanwhile, Harry had managed to give Dumbledore another hard kick to the shins and had managed to stomp on the old man's foot. Dumbledore, though, wouldn't release his grip.

He continued to scream, "_Arrrrghhhh! Help! Somebody help me!_"

Harry could see Hermione sitting on the other side of the table he'd just been dragged out of, talking in her mirror. He heard her calling his godfather by name.

"Harry!" cried Dumbledore still trying to drag Harry away. "Stop! I'm your magical guardian!"

The boy shouldn't be acting this way. He was supposed to be rather meek.

Next thing Harry knew he saw Emma swing her hand bag at Dumbledore's head. She must've hit him pretty hard as Dumbledore suddenly let go and staggered back. Dan used the opportunity to grab Harry and put him behind him.

"_You leave him alone you dirty old bugger!_" Dan roared at Dumbles. "_We have a name for individuals like you who want to fiddle with little children!_"

'Go, Dan!' thought Harry. 'Have at him!'

"No, no!" cried Dumbles. 'You don't understand! It's all a misunderstanding!"

Emma took another shot at him with her purse. Dumbledore had to duck to avoid being clonked again.

"Madam! Please!" cried Dumbledore. "I'm the boy's magical guardian!"

Suddenly, with calls of "_Aurors! Aurors!_" the now sizable crowd was surrounded by Amelia's aurors with wands drawn.

Kingsley and Rufus both stepped through from opposite sides. "_What in the name of Merlin is going on here?_" Rufus bellowed. They were followed by the other aurors. Six more.

Harry was doing his best to both huddle behind Dan and watch what was going on. He looked behind himself and spotted Hermione still sitting at the little outdoor table calmly eating her ice cream. She saw him look at her and she grinned. Harry had to turn away before he did the same.

Dan was yelling about the pervert who tried to drag the little boy away. And Dumbledore was spluttering how it was all just a simple misunderstanding. Other people were also chiming in with what they thought was going on.

Rufus bellowed, "_Silence!_" And everyone shut up.

The next voice coming from up the Alley was Sirius's. "_Dumbledore!_" he roared, coming through the crowd.

The crowd parted and Sirius strode into the middle. He took one look at Dumbledore, grabbed him by the lapels of his robe and tried to lift him into the air by them.

He bellowed, "_Where's my godson, Dumbledore?! Where's Harry Potter?!_"

'There's my cue,' thought Harry. Sticking his head out from behind Dan he called, "I'm Harry Potter!"

That created one hell of a buzz through the crowd.

Quick as a flash, Sirius dropped Dumbles, making him stagger back. He spun about and stared straight at Harry.

"Harry?" he asked in a voice of pure concern. "Harry Potter?"

'Yep,' thought Harry. 'Just making sure everyone heard the name correctly.'

"That's me," said Harry coming out from behind Dan and calling across the now sizable gap. "Who're you?"

Just standing there, Sirius said in a voice dripping with anguish, "Harry, I'm your godfather, Sirius Black."

Then Sirius strode across the gap. But Dan stepped in front of him. "No, sir!" he said. "I'll not have you touch the boy until we sort this mess out!"

Sirius dropped to his knees just shy of Dan and pleaded, "Please! I've been looking for him for sooo long!"

'Bloody hell,' thought Harry. 'Don't lay it on too thick.'

"No, sir," said Dan loud enough for everyone to hear. "Not until we get this sorted out."

"You're Sirius Black?" asked Harry reaching into his pocket to pull out his copy of the Potter Will. "You're in my parents Will!"

Scrimgeour called "Call for Madam Bones!"

"I'm already here!" replied Amelia, stepping through the crowd from Madam Malkin's. The little old witch was right behind her. "Lord Black, please step away."

"Albus Dumbledore!" she called. "Aren't you in enough _trouble_ already?"

"Hey, if he's Albus Dumbledore, he's in my parents will, too!" said Harry, waving the Will about.

"No!" cried Dumbledore even louder. "You can't! That's sealed by the Wizengamot!"

Looking across at Harry she then called, "Mister Potter! Please come over here."

"Who're you?" replied Harry from behind Dan's back.

"Madam Amelia Bones," she replied. "Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"You're a police officer?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Mister Potter, I am," she replied in a kindlier voice.

Harry ran around the other side of Dan, ducked past his godfather, who was rising to his feet, and ducked up close to Amelia.

"Hi!" he said cheerfully. Then, pointing to Dumbledore, he accused in an angry voice, "That bad old man Albus Dumbledore was trying to drag me away!"

Harry then offered his copy of the Will to Amelia, who took it. And, opening it, read it, "It says here, you knew Mister Potter was never to go to the home of his muggle Aunt and Uncle."

"No! Wait!" said Dumbledore waving his hands in front of himself in a warding gesture. "There's been a misunderstanding! I'm the boy's magical guardian, I tell you! You can't read the Will it's sealed, I tell you!"

With a sudden screech, Madam Malkin launched herself at him, "_You're his guardian? You're the one who's allowed the abuse of that poor boy?_"

Two aurors stepped forward and carefully dragged the old witch away from Dumbledore, where she had a handful of his long beard and was whacking him about the head. Harry noticed they did seem to move a little slower than would be called 'with alacrity'.

"No, no, no!" cried Dumbledore. "That was his muggle relatives! His uncle!"

"_What?_" roared Amelia. "Harry Potter has been abused?"

"_Look at his back!_" cried Madam Malkin from where she was being held by two aurors. "Look at all the scars and marks!"

"No, no, no!" cried Dumbledore. "Nooo! There's no need. The boy exaggerates!"

"_Look at his back!_" screeched Madam Malkin.

Looking from the old witch down to Harry, Amelia said, "Mister Potter. Please lift your shirt."

Harry looked at his feet and shook his head.

"Mister Potter," said Amelia in a grandmotherly sort of voice, "Please... lift... your... shirt!"

Moving with the appearance of reluctance, Harry moved his hands to begin lifting his shirt.

"Noooo!" cried Dumbledore. "Not here! You'll embarrass the boy!"

Harry ignored the old fool and lifted the bottom of his shirt to between his shoulders in a quick upward movement.

There were gasps and angry mutters coming from all around. Even Dan and Emma were quite shocked by what they saw.

"_The boy who lived!_"

"_The hero of wizarding Britain!_"

"_How _dare_ they!_"

Harry quickly dropped his shirt and hung his head in the appearance of shame.

"_Dumbledore knew! He admitted it!_"

Suddenly there was a cry of, "_Dumbledore, you mongrel!_" and people surged forward.

The aurors suddenly surrounded the old man and Amelia called, "Emergency portkey him back to a cell! Now! Everyone else, get back!" She pointed her wand in the air and fired off an explosive crack. Harry dropped to the ground and cowered next to her feet.

Dumbledore and two aurors suddenly disappeared.

The crowd stopped and moved back a couple of paces. They were quiet.

Amelia bent down and took hold of Harry's hand, his left hand, and lifted him back to his feet.

"Mister Potter, we're going to need..."

"Errr... excuse me, Ma'am?" he asked.

"Yes?" she asked.

He held up his right hand and let the sunlight glint off his Potter House ring.

After a heartbeat, Amelia said in a clear voice, "My apologies... _Lord_ Potter."

Another ripple of murmurings passed through the crowd.

She went on to say, "Lord Potter, we're going to need to take you back to my offices, so we can investigate this further."

Harry declared, "I'm not going anywhere unless my new best friend, Hermione, and her parents can come too! They saved me!"

Looking over at the Grangers, Amelia said, "Well, it looks like you're coming, too. I need your statements, anyway. You, too, Lord Black."

Amelia and her aurors portkeyed everyone back to the offices of the DMLE.

# # #

Finally, just arriving back at the Pottery via floo from Amelia's office after a pretty gruelling couple of hours, Harry was sitting on a couch in the parlour with Sirius, Dan, Emma and Hermione.

"Well, there goes a day of shopping down the drain," he sighed.

Emma, still standing, walked over to Harry and said, "Harry. Stand up and take off your shirt."

He stood, shrugged his shoulders, and took his shirt off up over his head.

Emma turned him about and asked, "I know you were abused by your aunt and uncle. But not all of these could have come from your time before you turned four."

"No," said Harry. "Some of them are. But these are the marks and scars I took from Dobby when he first arrived here. In order to have the Dursleys and Dumbebutt properly dealt with, I used very old magic that Myrrdin and I knew to take them from Dobby's Polyjuiced body and transfer them to mine.

"It's irreversible and, besides, he may only be a house elf, but I refused to allow him to bear the brunt of what was meant for me, one moment longer."

"It was _not_ meant for you!" scolded Emma. "It was not meant for _anyone_!"

Harry started to pull his shirt back on before he stopped and said, "Excuse me. I'm getting out of these rags." And headed for his room to get changed.

When he returned, cleaner and feeling much better wearing his own clothes, he saw that Pixie or Dobby had prepared an afternoon tea for them.

That reminded Harry of something he needed to do.

"Dobby!" he called.

The, now, little elf popped into existence alongside him.

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir?" he asked.

"Dobby," Harry sighed. "What you did... what you put up with... for six years with the Dursleys, is something I can _never_ repay. However, I'm going to try my absolute hardest to do so. Tell me, if you can have anything in the world right now, anything your little heart desires, what would it be?"

Hopping up and down from foot to foot, Dobby said, "Dobby wants to be Master Harry's house elf! That's what Dobby wants more than _anything_!"

Surprised, Harry said, "You can have anything, Dobby. I _mean_ it! You can have house elves of your own, if you want."

"Dobby wants to be Master Harry's house elf!" the little elf declared again.

"Well, okay..." Harry started to say.

"Yes!" cried Dobby throwing himself to wrap his arms around Harry's legs. There was a sudden flash of magic pass from Harry to Dobby and back again.

"Dobby is _very_ happy with Master Harry!" the little elf declared. "Master Harry is the _greatest_ master Dobby could _ever_ have!"

"Damn, Pup!" said Sirius. "Now _that's_ what I call loyalty!"

Once Dobby let him go, Harry collapsed onto a chair and softly began to weep. "How the bloody hell do I deserve this?" he asked the room in an anguished cry.

Hermione came over and hopped into his lap. She cuddled him and held him until he'd wound down.

"That's all the stress you've put yourself under, Harry," she said. "You can't keep things bottled up like you've been doing. It's not good for you!"

When Harry looked up, he'd noticed everyone else had left the room. He had Hermione hop off his lap and he went looking for them. He found them in the kitchen. Dan and Sirius sat at opposite ends of the little six-seater kitchen table. Emma sat on Dan's left.

When they walked into the room, Hermione went and sat at her Dad's right while Harry sat alongside her, on Sirius's left hand.

They each had a cup of tea sitting in front of them. As Hermione and Harry sat, identical cups of tea appeared before them.

While he was sipping his tea, Sirius was quietly humming a tune.

Harry quickly recognised it as Wagner's Bridal Chorus. "Shut up, Padfoot!" he demanded.

Sirius, ignoring him, continued to hum the tune while sipping his tea.

"God damn it, Padfoot! _Shut up_!" snarled Harry.

Again, Sirius continued to ignore him. Dan and Emma just exchanged slightly amused glances.

Harry placed both hands on palm down on the table of either side of his cup and saucer and snarled ominously, "Damn it, Snuffles! If you don't stop that _incessant_ tune this instant I'm going to have Dobby stuff you head first down a garbage chute somewhere!"

Sirius still continued to ignore him.

Harry just sighed and gave up. He picked his cup up and just decided to sip it and ignore his pain-in-the-butt godfather. He hoped ignoring the man would see him give it up.

While he took a big sip of his tea, Hermione quietly and with an air of dignity, said to her parents, "He's wasting his time, you know. Harry and I aren't going to be married for _years_ yet."

The sheer shock of Hermione's statement had Harry coughing his tea halfway across the kitchen. They were just lucky no one was sitting opposite at the time.

The outburst had Sirius throw himself backwards so hard, and begin laughing so hard, he fell over the back of the chair and ended up on the kitchen floor. There he lay, rolling back and forth, absolutely howling with laughter.

Harry was sitting at the table trying to cough tea out of his lungs. He had tears in his eyes from the effort.

Dan had hung his head and was shaking it back and forth, while Emma was looking a bit of a cross between being faintly amused and quite scandalised at her daughter.

While no one was looking Pixie popped in and cleaned the sprayed tea up off the table, the back of the other chair, the kitchen floor and the cupboard doors under the kitchen bench. Then she set a fresh cup of tea and a glass of water down in front of Harry with a couple paper napkins, and disappeared again.

Hermione, after her little statement, just looked around and harrumphed. Then she rose from her chair and walked around to where Sirius was on the floor. She said, "Sirius Orion Black! You will stop that this instant! There is nothing to laugh about!"

Sirius laughed even harder. So, Hermione harrumphed again, stuck her noise in the air and stormed out of the kitchen.

Emma rose and quietly said, "I'd better go talk to her." And followed after her daughter.

Dan looked up and said, "It looks like the cats out of the bag... son."

Harry, still not able to talk, tried to sooth his throat by taking a couple of swallows of water.

Sirius was finally getting control of himself again, and was trying to climb to his feet by pulling himself up on his chair.

"Oh... Merlin!... She sounds so much like Lily," he gasped.

"Padfoot, you bloody idiot!" rasped Harry, still trying to talk properly.

"Oh, knock it off, Pup!" he replied, finally getting himself back into his chair. "I don't think there's a person in our little group who has not already figured out you two are meant to be together! _You're_ the only one who's fighting the inevitable."

"I think her father might have something to say about that," sighed Harry, still with a bit of a rasp.

Dan sighed and shook his head. "Not anymore," he said. "I just ask you hold off on the nuptials until you're both well over eighteen."

Harry nodded and said, "I _so_ did not want this to happen."

Dan replied, "No, you said she had to be free to make her own choice. She's made it. Even if it was far quicker than either of us expected."

"I'm only the first boy she's really been friends with. It's 'puppy' love", said Harry. "There's every chance she's going to find someone else when we get to Hogwarts."

"I don't think so," said Sirius, while Dan shook his head. "I doubt I've ever seen a more soul-bonded couple than you two. Your parents came close, though"

Harry just harrumphed. And, in doing so, matched Hermione's effort of a few moments earlier.

Sirius said, "You have your mothers eyes, love for others and sense of justice. You have your father's cunning, determination and drive. Hermione is your equal, but she's more intelligent and not as cunning, plus a few other things. You're a match, but with enough differences to remain individuals."

# # #

Early that evening they were joined by the Longbottoms and the Boneses. Neville and Susan, and even Augusta, wanted to know everything that happened.

Harry, Sirius and Dan did their best to run through what happened, when and where. Harry didn't know but Emma had about forty galleons in her purse when she clonked Dumbledore a good one upside his head. She thinks she also got another good shot in but it only glanced off.

Amelia said Dumbledore was going to be spending the night in her cells. "For his own safety, of course," she smirked. They'd called the healers for him as he had abrasions on his shins and a badly bruised pinkie toe where Harry had landed once with the heel of his shoe.

Augusta, who had visited the Alley later in the day, reported how the whole Alley was abuzz with how Harry Potter had turned up in the Alley and that he was attacked by Dumbledore. They also said how Harry was abused, with the most fanciful tales saying he had ended up deformed from it all. And how he was now Lord Potter; though, they didn't know how that was possible.

Yet another evening version of the _Daily Prophet_ came out. There was even a photograph of Harry with his head dropped low and his shirt up. Another of Madam Malkin pulling Dumbledore's head down by his beard so she could whack him about the head with her hand. Harry didn't even know there was a photographer there. The one of Madam Malkin reported how she had to attend St Mungo's later in the day to see to injuries sustained to her hand.

This time there was only _one_ voice speaking out in favour of Dumbledore; a lady who wasn't there in the Alley at the time. She couldn't believe the great Albus Dumbledore could ever do such a thing. She insisted it must have been someone Polyjuiced to destroy Dumbledore's reputation.

One article covered, again, what they believed happened on the night of thirty-first October 1981. This time, however, Peter Pettigrew's name was substituted for Sirius's as the Secret Keeper and betrayer of the Potters. Another article covered Harry's recent family tree and how Harry was currently the last of the line. Hence, that 'must have been' why he was able to take up the family Headship.

Another article covered how Dumbledore was still yet to be tried for not coming forward with information about his role in what happened on the night of thirty-first October 1981, and not coming forward with the information he knew the now Lord Black was not the Secret Keeper. It also covered how the DMLE had received over five thousand individual complaints about owl interceptions by Dumbledore of Harry's mail and how the DMLE wanted to put him on trial for that matter, as well.

"That reminds me," said Harry, looking up from reading the article. "We're going to need to put in place our own owl interception once Dumbledore's stopped from doing it. I'll need the mail to be sent to the goblins to check the whole lot, as it comes, before they forward it on to me. Who knows what's going to be in it all."

Amelia sat up and said, "Actually, have it sent through to us first. We've the manpower and will want to know what may be included, too. If there's anything that shouldn't be there, I'll be having words with the people concerned."

Harry nodded and said, "Do you need me to fill out any paperwork for that?"

"No," said Amelia. "It's something we can do, considering the nature of the matters involved. I'll see to it when I get home. The on-duty night shift aurors can organise it for me."

The large editorial was the most interesting and pleasing. And also the most damning. It covered Dumbledore's many accomplishments. How he was Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, defeater of Grindelwald, and the only man He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named appeared to fear.

Then it went on to cover his recent actions. Actions that appeared to be of a man who had either snapped, or was losing his faculties. The editorial questioned whether Dumbledore, hero that he is, should be 'allowed' to quietly retire. Or, whether his recent _alleged_ crimes were so dire, he should be placed into permanent enforced care at St Mungo's Wizarding Hospital. The editorial _oozed_ concern for a man 'who had borne so much for so long'.

After reading the editorial, Harry looked up and said to Amelia and Augusta, "Is this..." indicating the editorial "... going to be enough to start having Dumbebutt stripped of some of his positions?"

"Legally, no," said Amelia with a sigh. "Though he's been charged, he's not _yet_ been found guilty of a crime."

Augusta took up the thread of the conversation and said, "However, that doesn't mean we cannot act within the Wizengamot. At the next session, I'll be putting forward a motion to have Dumbledore stripped of the Chief Warlock position and replaced. If I can't get the support to make it permanent, I'll move it be temporary until all the legal matters relating to him are cleared.

"Whether or not I can get him removed from the Chief Warlock position, I'll also be trying to get him removed from the ICW, as we don't want someone who's under a legal cloud representing Britain in matters of international importance; and from the Headmaster's slot at Hogwarts, as he is under investigation for child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse, child endangerment, assault upon a child and claiming magical guardianship of someone who he wasn't in a position to do so. That last, in Harry's case, can be construed as an attempt at Line theft."

Sirius asked, "And who would you ask to replace Dumbledore in any of the three positions?"

Harry piped up and said, "Madam Marchbanks, as Chief Warlock. She's fair, will warrant no nonsense from anyone, and really should have been the Chief Warlock if not for Dumbledore's... popularity."

Amelia said, "Tiberius Ogden for the slot on the ICW, though it'll be up to the ICW to appoint a new Supreme Mugwump. I think there's a wizard from New Zealand who'd be the choice for that."

Sirius said, "And it would have to be Minerva McGonagall for the Headmaster slot. She's only been Deputy Head for a couple of months. But, it's the role she was born to hold. And I'd also put Filius Flitwick up for the Deputy Head position and say bugger the fact he's part goblin. Like McGonagall he's been there since the 1970's, and all the staff and the students love him. I did, as did James, Remus and, especially, Lily."

"And talking about Hogwarts," said Harry, grateful for the segue. "Is this going to be enough for you, Madam Bones, to have aurors stationed at Hogwarts from the first day of school?"

Nodding, Amelia said, "Definitely! Even if Dumbledore is able to get himself back to Hogwarts for the first day, I can have aurors stationed there to make sure he's watched and monitored. If we can't get him removed from his position as Headmaster, then I'll definitely be able to get Wizengamot approval to have the aurors in place."

"Merlin!" said Augusta. "To think, our greatest allies on the Wizengamot to get this done are going to come from the dark families."

"Well," said Harry. "I don't think we can make Dumbledore's life even more of a living hell, tonight. I think this last lot, added to what happened at Sirius's trial, will keep him back-footed and dancing to our tune we play for him until well after the first of September."

After their guests had departed for their own homes - Amelia and Augusta took the Grangers home - Harry sat down and typed up a report for Sir David to forward on the information to the Queen.

In it he covered what had transpired, especially the day just past, and how things were progressing. He also reported on what had also been transpired within the wizarding world, in general. He typed it in as dry and bureaucratic a style as he could, as he knew it would be appreciated. He also left a note reminding the man he could be contacted via the mirror.

After he finished, and made sure he made no mistakes, he tucked it into a DL envelope and wrote upon the front of it

For Sir David Smythe-Umpton,

from Lord Harry James Potter

He stood back, shifted into his animagus form, and picked the envelope up with his beak. Then he phoenix-flashed it to the blotter on Sir David's desk in his office at MI5, before returning to the Pottery.

# # #

The next morning, Harry collected Sirius's copy of the _Daily Prophet_ from where the owl had delivered it. There were yet more stories about the scene in the Alley of the day before. There was very little of new information about what happened, but there were now articles quoting members of the Wizengamot and the Ministry. However, there were a number of quotes from Malfoy, the Minister and even a short one from Amelia.

Amelia was quoted as saying, "Mister Dumbledore..." she used none of his titles... "is to be given the benefit of trial before people comment on his _alleged_ crimes against Lord Harry Potter..." but used Harry's title. Nice.

The comments from Malfoy were, as suspected, very scathing of the old man. He hinted how he was "discussing matters with other members of the Wizengamot about Dumbledore's actions these past days" and "how he felt sorry, but appalled, at how the 'old man' was now losing touch with all reality". He laid it on a bit thick but, in this, Harry considered him an ally.

The Minister, however, was very reluctant to comment. Most unusual for the man, thought Harry. But he did say Albus Dumbledore... again, no title... was to be presumed innocent until the findings of the court were made public. However, he felt the man was a hero and should continue to be treated with respect.

In other words, the Minister was straddling the fence. Harry wondered how many splinters were in his butt from how much he always sat on said fence. He must've saddled the damned thing.

What did get under Harry's skin were the remarks in a couple of the articles where it said, '_Lord Potter has refused to comment on_' and '_when speaking with Lord Potter, we were unable to get his views on_'. Harry highlighted both remarks and made a copy of the two articles. Both were written by one Rita Skeeter.

Sirius went into the Alley later in the morning and picked up the rest of Harry's supplies. He didn't bother with the text books, of course, as Harry already had those memorised. And Harry would return in six days to pick up his uniform and robe, and his trunk.

There were also some potion ingredients not on the approved list of school supplies Harry wanted, as well. Plus, he knew where there was a perfectly good giant basilisk just waiting to be killed and sold off. He'd make sure the skins went to Amelia's aurors to be made into armour. He thought about having four sets of that armour set aside for himself and the others. However, they'd be growing too much over the next couple of years to make it worthwhile. He did wonder, though, just what Ollivander would make of eye string from a basilisk.

This morning he collected off Dan a high quality image of the Granger crest and gave it to Sirius to make sure a copy went both to Gringotts and to the trunk manufacturer. He reported back the goblins would ensure a copy was presented to the trunk manufacturer.

He asked Sirius to call in to the _Daily Prophet_ offices while he was in the Alley and wave both his own thirty per cent share, and how he held the proxies for another forty-five per cent share, of the paper. He would demand an immediate retraction of both comments that Harry had indicated, that the retraction was to be on the front page, and the journalist concerned would be publicly reprimanded for her deliberate lack of truth. Or the editor would quickly find himself fired and someone who would obey the owner's instructions would replace him.

The editor was also given instructions relating to interviews. They were to destroy every quik-quote quill in the building... not sell, destroy. And replace them with dicta-quills. All staff were not to interview anyone under the age of consent, or not emancipated, without the presence and permission of the parents or guardians of the child. Any source was, in all instances where possible, to be verified prior to publishing.

Sirius also reported how he was often stopped by shopkeepers in the Alley, and by shoppers while he was moving from shop to shop, by people asking after 'that poor boy, Harry Potter'. Sirius confessed to using the opportunity to curry further support and see if he could 'hook up'.

Susan and Neville were happy to learn, yesterday, of Harry's purchase for them of a new expanding trunk for each of them. But he had to smooth over ruffled feathers with Amelia and Augusta. Once he convinced them the other heirs would need them to properly fulfil their duties, once their heritage became known, they were accepting of the gifts. But Harry still had to point out it was not considered an extravagant gift for one of their station, even if they hadn't yet taken on the duties of those stations.

Well, anything further he bought for each of them he'd just pack in his own trunk and give to them once they all arrived at Hogwarts. Their guardians couldn't stop him, once there. They could only send him a howler or two. Embarrassing, but better than getting an earful while they were standing in front of him. He'd just hide behind the wards at Hogwarts. Yes, both Amelia, especially Amelia, and Augusta could come directly to the school to... remonstrate... with him, but it would take effort on their part.

Now that the great Harry Potter reveal was done and out of the way, Harry decided there was another issue he could take care of. He couldn't very well champion the rights of other sentient magical creatures when his own house elves were made to wear linen or rags.

"Pixie! Dobby!" he called. Both elves flashed into existence in front of him.

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir?" asked Pixie.

"Okay, you two," he said to them. "I don't like how you wear rags while you work for me. So, I want you to wear uniforms. This is not me giving you clothes, understand. This is me requiring a certain level of dress in my staff."

Both elves nodded vigorously.

Harry thought first of what he wanted Pixie to wear. "Can you see my thoughts, Pixie?" he asked her.

She said, "Yes, Master Harry, Sir!" and suddenly she was wearing what he had in his mind. A light white blouse with a female cut dark blue blazer with a grey skirt to the knee. On the breast pocket of the jacket was the Potter crest sized to fit the uniform.

Turning to Dobby, Harry said, "Okay, now yours." and suddenly Dobby was wearing the male version of what Pixie was wearing. A light white open collared shirt with a dark blue blazer with grey trousers. On the breast pocket of the jacket was the Potter crest.

"Excellent!" said Harry leaning back to survey his handiwork. "Okay, do a slow turn about, both of you." And both elves turned full around in front of him.

"Definitely, excellent!" said Harry, quite satisfied. "You both look very smart and I feel blessed to have both of you working for me."

"Thank you, Master Harry, Sir!" said Dobby, before he dove at Harry's legs and gave them a squeeze. Pixie very quickly did the same.

"Does Master Harry need anything else?" asked Dobby.

"No, thank you, Dobby," replied Harry. "You can both go back to what you were doing."

"Thank you, Master Harry, Sir!" said Pixie, before they both disappeared again.

Harry thought to himself, 'Make them start to _look_ like people, and witches and wizards will start to _treat_ them like people.'

# # #

At Hogwarts, Dumbledore had arrived back at the castle just in time for breakfast. He quickly changed out of the robes he'd been forced to wear from the previous day and headed down to breakfast with the staff.

He stomped into the Great Hall and 'flomped' into his throne-like chair. No one on staff even said, 'Good morning' to him.

Still in a foul mood, he'd just started to load his plate with his favourite breakfast dishes when the owls streamed in from overhead. A few flew over to the other members of staff. The remainder, however, _unloaded_ on him.

As with a couple weeks ago, Dumbledore was buried under a veritable avalanche of folded parchment.

Roaring out his displeasure, he banished almost all of it out towards and across the four, currently empty, house tables. "_God damn it!_" he snarled.

Bathsheba Babbling on his left, and Minerva McGonagall on his right, both moved as far from the old man as they could. And still no one said a word. Dumbledore just sat there, hunched over, and shovelling food into his mouth as if he was trying to kill his breakfast with his teeth.

As soon as he'd felt satisfied enough to have broken his fast, he rose and stomped back out of the hall back to his office.

Well," said Professor Flitwick, "There goes a most unhappy individual."

Professor McGonagall calmly finished her breakfast, took a sip of her tea, and said, "I think it's time we spoke with the School Board. This cannot be allowed to continue."

Up in his office Dumbledore was trying to figure out how to get Harry Potter back under his control. He did not yet know the Dursleys had been arrested... again... and that the computers of the police involved now had full and detailed reports of their atrocities. He also did not know it would not matter if he obliviated everyone involved, as the computer systems would simply remind the officers of the serious nature of the Dursleys' crimes and they'd be back behind bars within an hour.

Their own Headquarters at New Scotland Yard, and MI5, were monitoring things from afar. If it appeared minds had been wiped both departments were prepared to go in to Surrey and set the involved officers back on track.

Wiping the minds of Her Majesty's Metropolitan Police Service would no longer be an effective way for magicals to escape police investigations.

Dumbledore also did not know that Harry Potter was not staying at Grimmauld Place with Black, but at the Pottery, his own Manor House.

He also did not know that what funds he'd secreted away in his own office from the boy's trust vault was going to be the last he _ever_ took from there. And he did not notice the missing books off the shelves, or the invisibility cloak from its package under his bed.

All Dumbledore focussed upon was his plans for when the boy arrived at Kings Cross Station for his trip on the Hogwarts Express. Once he had him at Hogwarts, he would very quickly get the boy back under control.

# # #

After lunch, Harry was preparing to head out into non-magical London to track down a publisher for his book. He'd sent in an initial draft of the first few chapters to a number of publishing houses a while ago. Now he had a call back from one of them. A relatively new company that had only been running for about five years. He was going in to see them today.

Finding a secluded spot just around the corner from the offices of the publisher, Harry apparated directly to the spot with his glamour on and under a Notice-Me-Not charm. The address, Harry found, looked a lot like a brownstone walk-up.

Harry checked the address again - 50 Bedford Square, London - and thought, 'This is it. _Bloomsbury Plc_. It sure didn't look like much from the outside.'

He dropped the Notice-me-Not charm and entered. He was greeted by a receptionist behind a reception desk. On introducing himself he was led to an office upstairs.

The man in the office said, "I gave that teaser you sent us to my daughter. She loved it and wanted to read more. So, that's why you're here."

Harry said, "And I thank you for your time."

He handed over the typed up pages of his book to the man behind the desk and said, "I'll understand if you don't want to print it, but it's for a very select audience. I'd like to pay for all costs associated with printing the book and need an advanced run of about four hundred copies before the first of September."

The man leafed through a lot of the pages, frowned, and said, "Yeah, we can do that."

Harry gave the man his credit card details and said, "Take what you need, but be prepared to provide very detailed invoices to go along with the charges. I'll be by in about a week to see how you're doing. Is that okay?"

"More than okay, Sir", said the man standing and offering his hand.

Harry stood, shook the man's hand, thanked him again for his time and left.

'Another job crossed off the list,' thought Harry.

# # #

When he arrived home, Sirius had a guest waiting for him in the Parlour. A tall lanky man wearing a threadbare herringbone suit with a shock of short red hair and a very scraggly moustache.

Harry walked in and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hello, cub," said the man rising from his chair to come forward.

# # #


	18. Hermione's Power

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Eighteen - Hermione's Power

Though he knew he and Sirius hadn't made a big secret of him being out of prison and Harry turning up in Diagon Alley - Hell, as far as he knew it made the international papers, as well - he didn't expect Remus to turn up so soon.

Remus Lupin, very part-time werewolf, came forward and gave the son of his best friend a huge hug. "God, Cub," he half choked, "I've been looking for you for ten years!"

"Hello, Moony," said Harry in a quiet voice. "I found that out when I finally got Padfoot sprung from Azkaban. I'm _so_ sorry you've been looking for me."

"Where have you been?" sniffled the older man.

Trying to lighten the mood a little, in a singsong voice Harry replied, "I've been to London to visit the Queen."

Remus snorted and held Harry out at arm's length, "I see you've got your father's sense of humour. I'm sorry about that."

Sirius was trying not to laugh from behind Remus, on the couch.

"Well, " replied Harry in a normal voice. "Just now, I've been out to get my first autobiography published. I've called it _Harry Potter: In His Own Words_. What do you think? The publishers think it's some kind of witches and wizards children's fantasy novel, but I'm happy they do."

"Come on, Cub!" said Remus a little exasperated. "Stop kidding around! For this past ten years, where have you been?"

Harry sighed and said, "Well, that's a very long story and needs to be told over a nice cup of tea. How about we sit in the kitchen at the table and I'll have Pixie make some tea and sandwiches."

# # #

After they were seated, and Harry called Pixie to organise some tea and sandwiches, Sirius exclaimed, "You've got them wearing _clothes_?"

"No, I had them put on my own designed house elf uniform," replied Harry. "What do you think?"

"How'd you get around that?" asked Moony.

"The rule is that if I give them clothes it releases them. I simply didn't give them any. I had them make them, themselves."

"Huh!" said Sirius. "That's very clever."

Harry shrugged. Then, turning to Moony, he said, "I'm going to start back when this really all began. The night my parents died. Then I'll step you through the major highlights."

Moony nodded and remained focussed on Harry. He didn't say a word.

"On that dreadful night ..."

# # #

By the time he was finished, Harry had gone through about three cups of tea, and about a dozen of the little quarter-cut sandwiches Pixie knew he liked.

"So," said Remus, "when you said you'd been to London to visit the Queen, and how you were just out getting your autobiography published, you really weren't kidding."

"Nope!" replied Harry. "It was a double prank. I knew you'd think they were pranks so I told you the truth. And, you know what they say, the truth is stranger than fiction."

"And I still say you've got your father's sense of humour," grumped Remus.

In a much more serious voice, Harry said, "All that aside. I'll need your word you won't pass on any information to Dumbledore, or any of his cronies. What is discussed here - and what is discussed with the Grangers, Longbottoms and Boneses - is for our ears alone."

"You have it!" said Remus firmly. "I'll swear it on my magic and my life, if you like."

"No, your word is more than good enough for me," replied Harry.

"So, what's the little cub going to do next?" asked Remus.

"Right now, I haven't the faintest idea!" replied Harry. "I think everything's done that can be done now, even things that I don't expect to need for about nine months."

Snapping his fingers, he said, "There is one thing! I need to teach the other three how to apparate. Especially, Hermione, as she has mundane parents. Plus, of course, there's the rest of the lessons in how to move about effortlessly in their animagus forms. But, that's pretty much it."

"You want to teach them how to apparate? Now?" asked Remus. "It's illegal for them to learn until they turn sixteen. Then they're not allowed to do it until they turn seventeen."

"While I know why the law is in place, I don't care!" replied Harry. "Those other three and I are going to be having our hands absolutely full when we start to get things up to speed and I don't want then getting delayed because they're not allowed to apparate.

"Hell, I can always argue that the four of us are emancipated and, as we're now legally adults, the seventeen year old minimum rule doesn't apply to us. If someone pushes it, I'll get Her Majesty to sign off on it, just in case."

"So, everything is pretty set and you're waiting on the first of September?" asked Remus.

Shrugging, Harry replied, "Pretty much. I have to go back to Diagon Alley to collect my uniforms and robes, and my trunk. I'll also collect the ones for the others if they haven't gone themselves, by then. Plus, I need to purchase Hedwig from Eeylops Owl Emporium, plus treats. She should be there by now. And I need to buy a small gift for the Grangers. I was thinking of them having their very own owl."

Thinking about it, he also said, "I'm also thinking of picking up a whole heap more potions ingredients from the apothecary. Stuff used in the higher years, but also stuff I know from what Myrrdin taught me. I'll have the room in my trunk to store them for taking them to Hogwarts."

"So," said Sirius holding up his hand and ticking things off on his fingers, "you need to collect your trunk... and those of the others, your uniforms, your owl, an owl for the Grangers, owl nuts, and potions ingredients."

"Yup," replied Harry. "To stave off the boredom of being forced to sit through classes on material I did when I was five, I'm thinking of doing some inventing and - hell, why not - _pranking_ of the senior years and staff. Traditions must be upheld, you know."

"There's always the Marauder's Map," said Sirius, amused. "I have no idea where mine's gone, though."

"I think yours is the one the Weasley Twins have," said Harry, thoughtfully. "Dad's is in the vault, or Dumbledore has it, which is more likely. I have no idea where Remus's or Pettigrew's are."

"No," said Sirius, remembering. "Mine's at Grimmauld Place in my room. Well, my old room."

"It's mine the twins must have," said Remus. "I left mine in one of the tunnels, one day, and I don't remember dropping it. I know it was in my pocket when I passed through from the school to Hogsmeade, but it wasn't there when I returned."

"Well, hopefully, the goblins will be able to recover my Dad's, if Dumbledore has it," said Harry.

# # #

The discussion and long needed catch up between Harry, Sirius and Remus went into the night. They skipped a proper dinner and just ate sandwiches as they talked. Remus described some of the jobs he had taken up in order to raise funds. He'd helped lay mundane roads, dug ditches, learned how to plaster a wall. He'd washed cars in France, car windscreens in Germany, and worked for a commercial herbologist in Spain. Whatever he could find to do, he did.

So long as it helped him raise money.

"And you've been doing this for ten years?" asked Harry. "You've spent the whole time just raising money so you could continue the hunt for me?"

"Yep," said Remus.

"Well, you found me," he said. "Bored yet? I mean, what do you want to do now?"

Very seriously the older man said, "Anything I can to help you, Harry. I owe it to your mother and father."

"Remus," sighed Harry. "You've been running around for ten years dedicating your whole life to finding me and helping me. I consider your debt, if there _ever_ was one, paid in full."

"My parents thought you were the likely Riddle's spy within the Order, Dumbledore knew better," Harry continued. "Hell, I think he probably even made the initial suggestions to Sirius to switch to Pettigrew as the Secret Keeper. And probably made the initial suggestions to everyone else you were the spy. He's been playing everyone for a very long time. Longer than you can imagine."

Both men frowned. "What do you mean?" asked Sirius.

Harry sat back and said very firmly, "What I'm about to discuss with you gentlemen is _not _to leave this room tonight. It is _not_ to be discussed with the others _unless I am dead_. Do I make myself clear?"

"Merlin! Harry," said Sirius, trying to make light of it. "A bit melodramatic, aren't you?"

"No!" he snapped. "I _must _have your words on this!"

"Okay, Pup," said Sirius. "You have my word."

"Mine too, Cub", said Remus. "No matter what it is."

Nodding, Harry said "Thank you." Then asked, "What do you know of Gellert Grindelwald?"

"A dark wizard back in the 1930s and 40s," said Remus. "What of him?"

"Where is he?" asked Harry. "What happened to him?"

"Dumbledore killed him," said Remus. "Everyone knows that."

"There's that 'everyone knows' crap again," muttered Harry. "Really?" he asked, before leaning forward again. "Who told you Dumbledore killed Grindelwald?"

"Merlin, Harry," replied Remus. "We know because Dumbledore claimed to have killed him and he's never been seen since."

"Dumbledore has _never_ claimed to have killed Grindelwald," said Harry firmly.

Sirius said with a frown of his own, "Harry, Dumbledore says it all the time big-naming himself. 'I am Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, Leader of the Light, Defeater of Grindelwald'..."

"Stop!" ordered Harry suddenly. "The _what_ of Grindelwald?"

"Defeater," said Sirius.

"Exactly," said Harry. "Not 'killer', not 'slayer', not 'murderer', not 'assassin', not anything else but 'defeater'. He _never_ uses any other term but that."

"It's the same thing, isn't it?" asked Remus.

"No, it's not," replied Harry. "Let's say you and I engage in a game of Wizarding Chess. It's a close game but I lose. You, therefore, _defeated_ me, correct?"

"Of course," replied Remus.

"Then I would be dead, right?"

"No," replied Remus. "Of course not."

Harry said, "Well, if _defeated_ means the same thing as _killed_, why wouldn't I be dead?"

"Oh, sweet Merlin!" said Sirius. "Because _defeated_ doesn't mean killed. It just means _beat_!"

"Precisely!" said Harry. "Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, but he _did not kill him_!"

"Then," said Remus, "if he didn't kill him, who did?"

"Now you're assuming someone killed him," replied Harry. "I never said he was dead."

"He must be!" said Sirius. "Otherwise he'd still be running around creating havoc!"

Before I get into what happened to him," said Harry, sitting back. "I must first tell you about the man, and his relationship with Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore attended Hogwarts and graduated at seventeen. Just after he graduated his mother passed away, leaving him and his brother to care for their mentally incapacitated middle sibling, Ariana.

"Gellert Grindelwald attended Durmstrang but was expelled when he was sixteen. At this time Dumbledore was just turning eighteen. Grindelwald had decided to go abroad to get away from his troubles in Europe, and came to England to live with his great-aunt Bathilda Bagshot. He was fascinated by the story of the Deathly Hallows and wanted to visit the place where Ignotus Peverell had died and was buried.

"He met Dumbledore when Dumbles, his brother Aberforth and sister Ariana all lived at Godric's Hollow. And it wasn't too long before Dumbledore fell in love with young Gellert... you didn't know Dumbles was gay, did you?... and the two became almost inseparable. Grindelwald started to bring the young Dumbledore into his schemes for world domination and Wizard Supremacy. He said it was 'For the Greater Good'. Dumbles already believed in keeping the wizarding world a pureblood society.

"Before long, young Aberforth had heard enough. He tried to drive Grindelwald out of their home and out of Albus's life. He could see his older brother was starting to succumb to power that is the dark side. The three of them ended up in a three-way duel and, during the melee, poor Ariana was killed. Grindelwald _knew_ he killed her, Dumbles _thought _he'd killed her, and Aberforth blamed his brother, if not for the fatal shot, for the shot being fired in the first place.

"Since that time, Dumbledore has never been able to fire off any sort of hex or curse that could lead to somebody's death. And he can't allow anyone who he sees working under his authority to do so, either. That includes members of his so-called Order of the Phoenix.

"However, he has no such compunction when it comes to others he sees as working outside his direct control. No matter how much he manipulates things. And he has no compunctionto stop others from being killed by a third party, if it suits his 'For the Greater Good' philosophy. The philosophy he learned from Grindelwald.

"Grindelwald fled Godric's Hollow back to Europe.

"During his subsequent rise to power, Grindelwald built a prison similar, but far sturdier, than Azkaban. He called it _Nurmengard_. He built it to hold his opponents who were too powerful or useful to kill, but too much of a threat to leave free. Over the door of the prison he carved the slogan 'For the Greater Good'.

"Dumbledore, of course, was well aware of Grindelwald's abuses of power and evil, but would not go near the man to try and stop him during the early days. He avoided having to confront his former friend and lover, because he was afraid Grindelwald would tell him who it was that had cast the spell that killed Ariana. Dumbledore was terrified it might have been him.

"However, Dumbledore eventually had to try to stop Grindelwald, no matter the cost. The final battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald took place in 1945, the final year of what mundanes refer to as World War Two.

"Dumbledore won the duel, but he didn't kill him. Grindelwald was sent to and imprisoned in his own prison, Nurmengard. He remains there today. The only prisoner now incarcerated there. And Dumbledore visits him every summer, still trying to redeem the man."

During his whole discourse, both Remus and Sirius barely moved. That just stared at Harry with looks of horror.

"Well, gentlemen?" he asked. "Do you feel better for knowing?"

"Oh, dear God!" said Remus, the first to come back to his senses.

Sirius just sat there, stunned.

"Pixie!" called Harry.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?" she asked.

"Could we have three fresh cups of tea, please? Oh, and something a little stronger for these two," asked Harry.

Harry rose and went for a walk outside around the Manor, before returning to the kitchen.

Sirius and Remus were just talking quietly between themselves until Harry sat back down.

"Are you guys okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, Pup," replied Sirius. "That information just answers so many questions I've always had."

"Yeah, me too," said Remus. "And the same questions."

"Well, it's now getting quite late. I'm heading for bed as I have training with Major Granger in the morning, and the heirs are coming over for more animagus training," said Harry, standing back up. "Good night."

Turning back, he said, "Oh, and... Pixie!"

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?" she asked.

"Could you or Dobby make up another of the spare rooms for Remus? And make sure he has access to my father's clothes, so he can have something better to wear, okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir?" she said before popping away again.

"Good night!" he said again.

"Good night, Pup!"

"Good night, Cub! And, thank you."

He left the two older wizards, and long time friends, to enjoy each other's company. He headed off to bed.

# # #

After his training session with the Major the next morning Harry brought Hermione back to the Pottery while Sirius apparated across and brought Dan. The other two heirs arrived shortly afterwards via floo.

Sirius introduced them to Remus, and Remus gave them a rundown on who he was, and how he came to be in the company of Sirius and Harry's parents. He didn't mention his werewolf status and neither Sirius nor Harry raised it. Harry didn't because he felt it was irrelevant, and he was soon going to cure the man, anyway.

Remus couldn't help with the animagus form training, but Harry wanted the man to rest. However, Remus would hear none of that nonsense.

While Sirius took the other two for a run and a play in the woods, Harry took Hermione up into the sky. She was now getting used to reasonably high flights, though not more than a few hundred feet up. He had a feeling there was more to Hermione's form than just an oddly coloured crow. Hermione just liked the freedom flight afforded her. And she was slowly getting over her acrophobia.

After about half an hour of flying, Harry suggested to the girl a game of 'chasey' as a way of increasing Hermione's skills of manoeuvring in the air. He took the lead and, to make it interesting, immediately flipped over and dived for the ground in a reverse Immelmann. Hermione gave chase. He'd promised not to 'cheat' by using his phoenix powers, so his only advantage was his tight and twisting turns. If he stayed flying relatively straight, he knew she'd be on him in a flash.

Coming out of his descent, Harry dived for the trees of the Great Wood. He was going to try and lose her in amongst the trees. He knew the trees would slow her down.

He weaved through the trees heading south. But it took him what felt only moments to emerge out the southern edge of the Wood and between houses. Hermione had been smart and flew over the tops of the last trees. She then used her greater height to power down on Harry from behind.

Harry flew down the length of a driveway towards the road. He was going to use the high hedge across the front of the property to block Hermione by performing a sharp bank to the right around it. Hermione, with her greater speed, and the advantage of acceleration from diving, was only a dozen feet behind.

Harry ripped a tight turn around the hedge and was shocked to find a lorry barrelling down on him travelling south on Hastings Road. He couldn't avoid it and did the only thing he could do. He phoenix flashed, sending himself straight up about two hundred feet. He hoped Hermione couldn't take the turn and overshot the corner, thereby missing it.

Hermione, however, knew what Harry had planned to do so was swinging wide to take the turn herself. As she came around she saw the truck in front of her and strived to gain height. She pushed... hard.

Harry saw Hermione about to hit the truck, and try to avoid it. He was already diving back for the deck in a panic. His eyes were fixed on her form.

With a sudden flash of what looked light lightning, Hermione was suddenly gone. Where she was a moment ago was now only a truck still honking and with its brakes locked in a skid. And, up behind him, Harry heard a crow's sharp cry as the sound of thunder echoed across the sky.

He spun in the air and could see Hermione hundreds of feet above him. Shocked, he phoenix flashed up beside her.

After getting her attention he signalled they should land. He flew directly back to the Pottery. Hermione just rocketed past him for the rear yard. He was still a couple hundred feet out when he saw her flare out for a near-perfect landing near the back door of the manor and release her form just before her feet touched the ground. He flared out where he was and flashed to her side.

Hermione was on him in an instant. She tried to scream at him, hug him and hit him with her fists at the same time. After a few moments she just hugged him, crying. Harry just hugged her tight. It had scared him, too.

Dan was out of his chair as soon as they landed and had approached. He didn't know what had happened, as he wasn't in a position to see it, but he knew something had frightened his little girl.

"Pumpkin?" asked Dan, moving to hug his little girl while she hugged Harry. "What happened?"

"It was a big lorry, Daddy!" she cried. "I came around a hedge chasing Harry and there was a big lorry _right there_!"

"We were out over the homes bordering Hastings Road, Sir," said Harry. "I knew we were high enough to avoid any cars that might have been there, but I didn't even think about how high-roofed lorries use the road occasionally. Hermione nearly flew right into one."

"I don't know how I missed it, Daddy," she continued to cry. "One second I was sure it was going to hit me, the next I was hundreds of feet up in the air!"

"One thing I do know," said Harry. "You're most _definitely_ not a normal crow."

Calming down a little, Hermione asked, "What happened, Harry? What was that? I 'pushed', wanting to be up high and away from the lorry, and I was suddenly so high up and I don't know how I got there."

"You... _pushed_?" asked Harry.

"Yeah," replied the girl. "I think I suddenly gathered my magic... it felt like electricity running through my veins... and used it to... apparate?... straight up. It just happened so _fast_!"

"That's not how apparation works," said Harry. "But, electricity, you say?"

She nodded.

"This bears investigating, and we need to do it now," said Harry. "Hermione, can we go back up? But this time we're going to _stay_ up."

She nodded again.

Nodding, Harry said, "Good. But this time, high up, I want you to see if you can gather that electricity again. And I want you to then picture yourself being, say, a thousand feet ahead of yourself, and release it. Do you think you can do that?"

Hermione nodded once more and said, "As long as we're not near lorries, this time."

"Not a couple of hundred feet up, we won't be," he said with a bit of a relieved grin. "When you're ready. There's no rush."

"No, let's do it now," she said firmly much more calmly. "I want to know what happened."

"Okay," replied Harry. "When you're ready."

Hermione turned away, took a couple of quick steps and changed into her crow form already in flight. She quickly gained altitude with a firm purpose.

Harry quickly followed her up.

Once they were both a couple hundred feet in the air flying parallel, Harry turned to look at her. When she looked back, he nodded.

He then felt her gather power. It was so strong he had to angle away from her. Suddenly there was a loud crack and flash of actinic light and Hermione was suddenly about a mile away ahead of him. It even looked like a small bolt of lightning lead her away. The power of it knocked Harry across the sky as he heard a loud rumble of thunder. He could smell the distinct odour of ozone in the air.

Righting himself in flight, with the flash of light still echoing in his eyes and the thunder still in his ears, Harry flashed to be near Hermione, who had already wheeled about.

He indicated with his head to land and flashed to the ground where'd they'd just so recently left. Hermione regathered her... power... and flashed to be about thirty feet away in the air. Again, there was another huge crack and flash of lightning, followed by a peel of thunder from where she'd originated. She flared out and reverted to her normal form to land on her feet next to Harry and her father.

Remus had already come outside and was standing next to Dan when they arrived.

"My God!" exclaimed Dan. "What the _hell_ was that?"

Before Harry could voice his thoughts, they were joined by Neville, Susan and Sirius from around the corner of the manor. All three were in their animagus forms, and all three reverted as they approached the group.

"Is there a storm approaching?" asked Neville. "I can't see any storm clouds in the sky."

"Pup?" asked Sirius. "Was that you?"

"No," he replied. "It was Hermione. And I was right about her not being a normal crow. Now, give me a second, I need to go and check on something."

He apparated to just inside the line of hedges where Hermione first used her power. Sure enough the lorry was on the side of the road. Plus, about four cars. All appeared to be dead with one driver already receiving assistance from another vehicle with jumper leads.

Apparating back to where he was, he said, "Yeah, just as I thought. There are vehicles on the side of the road, out there, where Hermione first used her power. All appear to have flat batteries."

"I killed their batteries?" asked Hermione, a little shocked.

Nodding, Harry said, "Yep. Come inside and I'll explain what I think happened."

Once inside in the parlour Harry said to Hermione, "What I think is happening, 'Mione, is you're collecting all the... electrical ambient energy... from around you, and using it. I think you're collecting all the free electrons... that's the power you're thinking you're collecting... then you're using it to... propel... yourself in the direction you want to go.

"What you're doing is creating a lightning bolt, and then... riding... that lightning bolt. But you're also directing it where to go. And I think you're doing it while you're in... as near as I can tell... a pure energy form. Think about how electricity works. Electrons travelling from one place to another. You're gathering an abundance of electrons to yourself and then releasing them in a set direction. You're then, for want of a better term, _riding_ them."

"I've never heard of an animal about to do that, non-magical _or_ magical," said Remus.

"I have," said Harry. "It wasn't on the cubes, or is even in the books we have on magical and non-magical biology. It's something Myrrdin mentioned once in passing. A magical bird thought mythical and found in the Americas, North and South. It's a bird spoken of in American Indian, Mayan and Incan ancient culture... which is why it was brought up in discussion. It's a storm crow."

"A storm crow?" asked Remus. "I've never heard of such a thing, and I consider myself pretty widely travelled."

"It's _ancient_ culture, Moony," explained Harry. "From hundreds, if not _thousands_, of years ago. Myrrdin once went searching for signs of one. The ancients of the Americas believed... believe... that thunderstorms are a result of storm crows gathering and circling in the sky. They caused the lightning, and the resultant thunder, with their play."

"Wicked!" exclaimed Hermione. "I can ride lightning!"

"Yeah, but we're going to have to be very careful about how you develop that talent," said Harry. "You don't realise this, but you nearly killed me up there. When you drew in the electrical energy, you were also drawing it from me. That's why I suddenly wheeled away from you. But, even then, you still nearly knocked me unconscious."

"Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed coming to sit on his lap. "I didn't know!"

"I know you didn't," he replied. "That's why I'm not upset with you. And that's why we'll need to find a way to train you in how to use it without harming anyone, or anything, around you. I shudder to think what would have happened if I told you to try for a point over London, or somewhere."

"I've always loved electricity," she said. "I've always loved how it can be harnessed and shaped to do our bidding. How it can be made from hydro, wind and solar conversion technologies. How it has made our lives so much better over the past century and a half."

Sirius said, "Then it's no surprise your animagus form has something to do with lightning. As I've mentioned before, your animagus will be of a form that most matches your personality or traits."

"What about mine?" piped up Susan. "Mine's a big wolf. And... and I think I have a power, too."

"Oh?" said Harry, suddenly quiet interested, as was everyone else.

A bit shyly, Susan explained, "I've shifted to my animagus form at night while Aunt 'Melia is at work. I've gone for runs in it. I can see _really_ clearly at night. To make sure none of the mundanes see me, I make sure to stay in the shadows as much as I can.

"One time, I thought some mundanes saw me, so I ran. And I found that, while I was in shadow I could... shoot... blur... whatever, forward. It was like I was apparating from one shadow to the next."

"Shadow wolf," said Harry. "That explains it."

"A what wolf?" asked Sirius.

"A shadow wolf," repeated Harry. "In her animagus form, Susan has the ability to jump from one shadow to another. In that manner she can travel long distances in a very short time. We thought she was a wolf because she has a very strong sense of the law and loyalty to family. A definite wolf trait."

Turning to look more fully upon the girl, he said, "However... Susan... you also have the trait of preferring to... be in the background... of what's going on unless you're directly challenged to take a more active role. In other words, your main trait is stealth backed up by loyalty to pack. A perfect personality for a shadow wolf."

Harry rose and went into his library. He returned with a large tome of magical creatures thought long dead or very rare. He flipped it open to the right page and handed it to Susan.

Susan quickly read through it before handing it off to Neville, on her left. He scanned it with his eyes it and passed it on to Sirius.

"So, that's three of us with an animagus form that would be considered highly unusual if just one of us had such a form. Three out of four is phenomenal. It is so phenomenal I wouldn't be surprised if Neville has one, too. It would then make sense."

"Make sense?" asked Remus.

"The four heirs of the founders; each having certain powers in their animagus forms," replied Harry. "There's me. Myrrdin informed me my personality was as a bit of what mundane folk call 'a white knight'. I'll rush to the defence of a damsel in distress without any consideration of my own safety. That's the sort of thing you'd expect of a Gryffindor. However, I'm also a very methodical planner and strategist, think long term, and am firmly anchored in reality. That's definitely Slytherin. I'm a phoenix because I'm a white knight; I'm an earth phoenix because I'm 'grounded'.

"Hermione is a storm crow. She's highly intelligent and inquisitive, has a sharp wit and can be playfully happy. That's the crow and Ravenclaw. She also believes in structure and constraints of law and authority, Hufflepuff, and is very fond of electricity and technological advances. That's the storm. Actually, she's very fond of _any_ advances. Again, Ravenclaw.

"Susan is a shadow wolf. She is foremost loyal to friends and family, and cannot see a time when she'd ever doubt she couldn't rely on them through thick and thin. That's Hufflepuff and the wolf. She prefers to stay in the background and let others take the lead. A non-alpha wolf. But, rile her, and she'll go after you leather and tongs... as Sirius has already discovered," he said, looking at Sirius and grinning. The old dog just grinned back.

"As she's not an alpha that means she's a beta wolf. And she much prefers to stay in the shadows and watch what's going on around her before she reacts. That's the shadow part. That also makes her, by far, the most deadliest of the four of us at night. An enemy will not see her, hear her or even smell her if the wind is right, coming. She can strike out of the darkness and be gone so fast that she can drop one member in a group and the others would not even know one of their own was already dead.

"Then there's Neville; a wolverine. He likes being around others but he's more of an... outrider. In a pack, he'd be one of the wolves ranging out wide. He is, sorry Nev, just as comfortable, maybe more so, being alone as he is with others near him. He'll only fight if he's pushed into it, much preferring to avoid the fight in the first place. That's the wolverine. But, if he has to fight, he won't hold back one iota. He'll go at it tooth and claw. That's the wolverine and Gryffindor combined. In a family setting, he'll fight for his family the same way, offering no quarter. That's Gryffindor, through and through.

"As for what his power is likely to be. That's yet to be seen. But I've no doubt he has one, and that it'll match either or both of his wolverine and Gryffindor traits. He'll also be the deadliest during the day, at least until we discover his own personal power. He's fast over the ground over short distances and has the ability to use his teeth _plus_ all four sets of claws. Then, couple that with how he'll be able to summon the sword of Gryffindor once we take our positions as Head of Houses, he'll be as close to an unstoppable machine of battle as one person can be."

"As for fighting prowess for Hermione, once trained, I suspect she'll be able to use her lightning to attack targets, any target. Mine is the ability to be able to lift objects... people, animals or anything else... a great deal beyond my own body weight. I can get things into an area, otherwise inaccessible."

Dan, who'd clearly been thinking furiously, said, "So, you could carry Susan or Neville rapidly into a combat zone, drop them, and let them deal with enemies, then collect them later?"

"Yep," replied Harry. "Though I could carry Susan _and_ Neville at the same time if we could figure out a way to make that happen. Think about what that sort of operative could do in the... fighting unit... of which you're a part, Sir."

"Good, God!" said the Major.

"Sirius, Remus?" he said, turning to the two old members of the original Order of the Phoenix. "What do you think that would do to a team of Death Eaters."

"They wouldn't stand a chance!" exclaimed Sirius.

"And they wouldn't be given one," said Harry firmly.

After allowing the others to talk through what he'd just made clear to them, for a while, Harry then said, "Okay, so Neville's power has not yet been discovered and there's probably no way to learn what it is just yet. However, he should probably look at practicing hitting someone hard while in his animagus form to knock them down, and then quickly reverting to his human form ready to call the sword."

"Susan is going to need help practicing stealth," said Harry, then looking at Dan, "Though you're not a magical, Major, I think you can provide a lot of assistance and advice in that. Sirius and Remus can provide _you_ with knowledge of the combat techniques of witches and wizards."

Indicating himself and Hermione, he went on to say, "I need to take 'Mione well away from civilisation to gain practice in her newfound power. We don't want the United Kingdom's National Weather Service getting calls from the populace asking why they keep seeing lightning and hearing thunder on relatively cloudless days. However, next storm that comes along, we can let rip."

"So," said Harry clapping his hands together. "Shall we try that for an hour, then have lunch and call it a day?"

Nods all round and people rose to their feet. Harry then found the next hour to be quite exciting, avoiding being barbequed by lightning, or having all the electrical energy in his body drained from him. Both he considered to be horrible ways to die.

# # #

After their guests had left for the day, Harry quickly wrote down his shopping list for what he wanted from the apothecary and cauldron shop in the Alley. He donned his old glamour and floo'ed directly there.

First, he paid a trip to Gringotts. There, he removed a few thousand in Galleons. And he transferred another one hundred thousand into Remus's account, on top of the money he received from his parents upon the reading of the Will.

He wanted to purchase two extra cauldrons; one main one for the potions lab in the basement of the manor, and one for his potions lab in his trunk. Then he had a ball spending lots of galleons buying all sorts of ingredients from the apothecary. He had already collected his list of the things he wanted to specifically purchase, now he was going through ingredients in the shop to both memorise what they stocked, and to build up a collection for both the manor and his 'trunk' labs.

He also purchased the specialised containers needed to store some of the ingredients, and a whole set of vials, bottles, jars, boxes, and other containers he'd need.

He had purchased so much he had to call Dobby to come and collect them and take them back to the manor. There were some items and ingredients the apothecary didn't stock in the shop, but she promised she would have them available within the next few days. She asked for, and received, a sizeable down payment on those.

When he left he thought the apothecarywas going to wrap him in her arms and cry on his shoulder. He was pretty sure he'd made the largest purchase of ingredients the old woman had ever rung up on her little register in her life. And that included the ones she even sold to the few commercial potioneers in wizarding Britain and Hogwarts combined.

'Oh, well,' he thought. 'At least I made someone's day a little brighter.'

After his purchases there, he headed out into mundane Britain. He was heading for the retail arm of a company in London called SciChem. They were a huge distributor of the sort of laboratory equipment he needed. Though Potions Masters didn't use them, because they were never taught how to, Harry knew there were many potions that could be brewed in a laboratory using specialist scientific chemistry laboratory equipment. Even potions that could be brewed without the equipment came out far improved if the right equipment was employed in the brewing process.

Everything he needed, except a large bottle of gas, he could purchase out of their shop front off the shelves. By the time he was finished making his selections he had two large crates loaded with his well-packed purchases. After paying for it all up front with his nice shiny credit card, he had them run the crates around to their loading dock. They wheeled it out onto the back deck for him.

When he was asked where his truck was, he said it was currently driving around so it wasn't parked anywhere. And that he'd called the driver on his 'car phone' to come in and collect him and his crates. As soon as the handlers went inside he called Dobby and had the elf take both back to the manor. Then he apparated the hell out of there.

His last stop was at a store in Birmingham that sold up to the large bottles of liquid petroleum gas. He bought one of the smaller bottles, pre-filled. And apparated with it directly to the Pottery. That would give him his clean heat source for his cauldron and beakers.

He then spent the rest of the afternoon setting everything up in the basement. The supplies for his trunk he set to one side.

He already knew one of the first potions he would be creating, the Damocles Wolfsbane Potion. He was also going to need, at some stage, an inert solution containing the virus Canine Hepatitis. But he'd need to ensure Remus was in a suitable hospital bed under twenty-four hour monitoring before he'd take that extra step of actually curing his new friend.

In the meantime was just the Wolfsbane Potion, plus a whole heap of others that he'd developed under the tutelage of Myrrdin. 'Let the pranking potion preparation begin!' he thought with glee. He had just over a month to get everything ready.

# # #

Sirius came looking for him a couple hours later.

"Damn, Pup!" he exclaimed. "What on Merlin's frizzy beard are you cooking?"

Harry glanced up at his godfather. He pointed to each of the batches, said, "That's Wolfsbane Potion for Remus. That, that, and that," pointing to each in turn, "are mild sleeping draughts, a general poison antidote and a magical core rejuvenator. And Myrrdin's beard wasn't 'frizzy'."

"You're working on _four_ potions at once?" asked Sirius. "How on earth can you keep track of what you're doing?"

"One of the advantages of having an eidetic memory," replied Harry. "You don't forget what you're doing, or what you were up to at any given time."

Sirius shook his head, sighed, and left the basement again. A few minutes later Remus came down.

"Padfoot tells me you're making Wolfsbane Potion," he said.

"Yup," said Harry. "The full moon is in a few days. Do you also want me to rig up a cage down here, or would you prefer something in your bedroom?"

"Errr... you.. you know?" asked Remus.

"Of course, I do," replied Harry. "Why would you think I wouldn't?"

Remus sighed and said, "Cub. Most people won't have anything to do with me when they find out. They think I'm going to automatically infect them, or something."

"Then, they're idiots," said Harry firmly. "Lycanthropy is an illness; nothing more, nothing less. It can be treated. It's only contagious under very specific, and known, conditions."

"I... thought you might want to turn me out, if you found out," said Moony with a sad sigh.

"Besides the fact you've just spent ten flippin' years searching for me," replied Harry with a firm voice looking at his honorary uncle. "You're _family_. _Real_ family don't do that."

"Thank you, Cub," he quietly said.

"Nothing to thank me for," replied Harry, returning to his work. "It's no bother to me. But I have a lot to thank you for."

"Thank _me_?" asked Remus.

"For _never_ giving up. For never giving up when everyone else except Sirius, because he was in prison, did. The rest of the wizarding world did _nothing_ about trying to find out what happened to me. They all just assumed 'someone else took care of it'. Even when they sent me gifts, cards and letters, they never bothered to find out _why_ I never responded to any of them. Again, they just assumed. _You_ never accepted '_No_' for an answer."

"I'm... you're welcome."

Harry nodded and said, "Now, get out of here and let me work. You'd best tell Sirius where you want your cage, if you feel you need one."

Remus nodded and started to leave, obviously quite moved.

"Oh," said Harry as an afterthought. "You cannot give it back, either. If you try to, I'll be deeply offended and throw you out of my life."

"Give... what back?"

"My parents left you a little something in your bank account from the Will. I've added a little something to it. You've _more_ than earned it," said Harry focussing on what he was doing on his mother's large potions workbench.

"Cub... Harry... what have you done?" asked Remus looking not very happy.

"Only what should have been done ten years ago if not for Dumblebutt's meddling," replied Harry working on measuring some dried dragon's blood. "Now, get back upstairs. I'm busy and you're distracting me."

"Yethhh, Matthhhhter!" the old wolf intoned, hunched over with one shoulder hunched up. Then he lurched back at the stairs.

"Uppity wolf!" muttered Harry.

Harry couldn't be bothered finding out what the time was when he eventually went to bed. It was just late.

# # #

Dumbledore was furious! He'd tried to collect some more galleons from the Potter boy's vault but his key was seized almost immediately. As the boy's magical guardian he demanded to see the Potter Account Keeper. The goblin escorted him to an audience room. Instead of sitting, Dumbledore paced while he waited. He even found a bare few seconds delay as intolerable.

When Blockrig entered he was escorted with two of the goblin guard. They took posts either side of the door while Blockrig took a seat on the opposite side of the table from Dumbledore. He was not carrying the Potter account ledgers when he walked in. He was only carrying a large file, which he placed before himself when he sat. Dumbledore didn't notice.

Without even sitting first, Dumbledore demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"

"The meaning of what, Mister Dumbledore?" asked Blockrig, politely.

Dumbledore replied, "The meaning of why I've had my key seized. I need access to my magical ward's vault right now. There are things I need to purchase for him of an immediate nature!"

Blockrig listened to the man rant at him, and just sat there quietly. "And who would your magical ward be, whose vault to which you need this access?"

"Don't play games with me!" snarled Dumbledore. "It's the Potter Boy, of course! Harry James Potter!"

Blockrig frowned at Dumbledore and firmly said, "Lord Potter is not your ward. And, even if he wasn't _Lord_ Potter, his magical guardian is Lord Sirius Black."

Dumbledore spluttered, "What? Of _course_ I'm his guardian! I've been his guardian for almost ten years!"

"No, Mister Dumbledore, you have not." Blockrig then opened his file and drew out a couple of sheets of parchment.

Dumbledore half-snarled, "I _am_ the boy's magical guardian. And you will give me access to his vault _immediately_!"

Blockrig ignored Dumbledore's last comment and checked over the parchments. Then he spun them about and slid them over towards Dumbledore's side of the desk.

He said, "This is an account of the amount of gold and other heirlooms you have unlawfully removed from Lord Potter's trust vault. You have forty-eight hours to see it returned, here, to Gringotts Bank. If you do not do so, then we will simply _take_ it back."

"_What?!_" snarled Dumbledore loudly. "_I will do no such thing! I will speak with your supervisor immediately. Do you understand?_"

Blockrig stared back impassively. He turned to the guards and said, "Guards. You are to escort Mister Dumbledore, with his Parchment ordering recovery, out the front door of the bank. If he tries to resist, use force."

Waiting a moment he said, "Good day, Mister Dumbledore."

Dumbledore spluttered, "I'm not going _anywhere_! I _demand_ to speak with your supervisor!"

The two guards then walked around Dumbledore and held him at sword point, pushing him with them as they marched him out. One of the guards picked up the parchment as they left.

"You can't do this!" spluttered Dumbledore. He winced in pain each time he was prodded with a sword. "_I'm_ Albus Dumbledore; Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot; Supreme Mugwump of the ICW. I _demand_ you cease this at once!"

Less than one minute later, Dumbledore was forced off the outside steps of the front door of the bank. The parchment ordering recovery was tossed after him.

# # #

Two days later, to the minute, what little Dumbledore had of gold in his vaults disappeared. The little remaining funds he had in his secret stash was already gone. And a lot of his personal effects of any value disappeared.

His property in Godric's Hollow, where he grew to be a man in his last years as a child, was seized. As were any other holdings in his name.

Dumbledore did not know it at that time, but he was effectively destitute. The only financial income he was receiving was his income as the Headmaster of Hogwarts and his stipends as Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump. His only home was his Headmaster's apartment at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore was, again, at the Ministry attending business when the goblins' parchment of recovery went into force. He was organising the calling of an emergency session of the Wizengamot to have the Potter boy's emancipation overturned - thereby removing his Lordship from him - and having his magical guardianship returned to one Albus Dumbledore; for the boy's protection, of course.

It wasn't until he reached into his pocket to draw out his pocket watch, and wasn't able to find it, that he became quite concerned.

He hurried back to his office at Hogwarts. Once there, he found little but his own clothes. The shelves, cupboards, everything, was pretty much stripped bare. Fawkes's golden perch had been removed and replaced with a very simple wooden one. Even many of his favourite knickknacks; including his crystal bowl holding his favourite sweets, Lemon Drops, were gone. The ones of any value, at least.

Dumbledore roared out his rage.

He decided he'd go home and collect things from his home there. It was under a Fidelius Charm, so it should be safe. He floo'ed out to the public floo in 'The Founder's Home' pub in Godric's Hollow.

He apparated the short distance to his home and activated the ward allowing him entry. As soon as he did, the entire Fidelius Charm, plus the wards, collapsed. And he was thrown backwards into the street. As he regained his footing he could see a parchment then appear tacked to the door of the property, 'Eviction Notice', followed by some of his personal effects appearing on the ground at his feet. A lot of it was family paintings without their frames.

Dumbledore, again, roared out his rage.

He called one of the house elves from the castle to come and take his, few remaining, possessions back there, while he went looking for what of his well-hidden property remained. Very little.

# # #

Finally, it was his birthday. The week after he first made an appearance in the Alley. It was time to collect the rest of his things. And he had to go as Harry Potter. However, he did wear a baseball cap he bought out in mundane London just to shield his forehead and allow him to remain at least a little incognito.

He called in at Madam Malkin's and thanked the dear old witch for holding on to his uniform for him. He also saw she had faithfully added his family crest. She explained how he would need to move it to his new House robes once he was sorted into a House at Hogwarts. And she taught him the minor spell to do it.

Next, he headed down to the furniture shop where his trunk would be. He walked in and the old shopkeeper hurried right over, just finishing up with another customer, who appeared to be a student buying their first trunk.

"Lord Potter," he said. "It's good to see you again."

"Hello, Sir," replied Harry. "I trust the four trunks are ready?"

"Indeed, My Lord," he said. "They've actually been ready for a couple of days. But the extra days gave me the opportunity to test them and ensure they were to your specifications and my standards."

"Excellent," replied Harry.

"This way, My Lord," I have them in the back to ensure no one else can touch them."

Harry followed the man to the rear of the shop, through to the restricted section. And there, before him, were four identical trunks set on individual stands at about hip height. Each were topped, just in from the front edge, by the family crests of each of the four heirs. Potter, Longbottom, Bones and Granger. Each crest was surmounted by a full faced steel helmet. And each was surrounded by an ostrich tail feather design with colours matching the main colours of the crests.

Harry actually thought the crest of Granger was quite the prettiest of the three. A field of blue with a wide gold bar horizontal across the middle. There was a golden unfurled short-stemmed thistle centred in the two remaining blue areas, and two red portcullis side by side in the gold band.

His own family crest was only black and white; same as with the Black family crest he was also now entitled to use. It had a horizontal ermine bar decorated with a pattern of black ermine spot tails drawn upright. The top black field had two large white cinquefoils, and one was centred in the bottom black field.

The Bones family crest was a white field with a wide blue bar diagonal. On the blue bar were three gold fleur-de-lys tilted to the angle of the bar and spaced equidistant.

The Longbottom family crest was probably the most colourful, even a bit gaudy. It was a field split vertical with a field of red on the left and blue on the right. over it was a stylised inverted chevron of gold. There were three gold horns, one each in the top left, top right, and centre bottom.

"They're each ready to be set for the individual, My Lord," said the shop keeper.

"Okay, let's do mine," said Harry. "And, if it's easy enough to do, I can show the others. Otherwise, they'll each have to come in to do theirs."

"It's pretty simple, My Lord," said the shopkeeper stepping forward. "You need to place your thumb on the lock and push with your magic. Once you hear a click, it's done. It'll also, right then, accept access from any house elf bonded to your immediate family."

"Oh," said Harry. "That sounds easy."

He put his thumb on the lock and gave a gentle push of his magic. He heard the click almost immediately.

"It's done, My Lord," said the shopkeeper, stepping forward and trying to open it with his own thumb and hands.

Harry then touched the lock again and he heard another click. This time the lid was easily opened.

"And if there comes a time I want to allow others to access it?" he asked.

"You'll need to bring the trunk back here as we'll need to reset everything."

"How impervious is it to unlocking charms?" he asked.

"There's no locking charm, of which I and my experts are familiar, that can open it."

Harry checked the internals of the case. Everything was as he expected. The inside was even a little larger than he anticipated. He placed his new school uniforms on one of the shelves, and closed it again. It automatically locked itself.

"In that case," said Harry. "I'll take all four of them with me."

Nodding, the shopkeeper said, "Very good, My Lord. Do you have a house elf to take them?"

"Yep," said Harry. "Dobby!"

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

"These four cases need to go back to the manor," instructed Harry, indicating the four trunks. "Do not touch the locks as they need to be first touched by their rightful owners. And tell Remus and Sirius not to touch them, either. Off you go!"

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir!" *Pop*

*Pop* *Pop* *Pop* *Pop*

"Thank you for your service, Sir," said Harry to the shopkeeper. "I'll be sure to visit your shop again when I'm looking for furniture or travelling luggage."

"Thank you, My Lord," said the shopkeeper with a slight bow.

Harry next headed for Eeylops Owl Emporium. He walked in and, yes, saw Hedwig in her cage at the back.

"Hello, Hedwig," he said fondly to the large Snowy owl. "We meet at last."

He bought her, a larger cage for her, a free standing roost, and a large selection of owl nuts. Plus, he also bought another, slightly smaller owl, with the same supplies. This was the gift he meant to buy for the Granger parents when he was in the Alley a week ago.

"Dobby!" called Harry.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

"I need these two owls and these goods also taken back to the manor," instructed Harry. "Can you do that for me, please?"

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir!" *Pop*

*Pop* *Pop*

Returning home, he was greeted by his godfather offering him an official letter from the Office of the Wizengamot, those people in the Ministry who provide administrative support for the Wizengamot, informing Sirius he had an emergency session of the Wizengamot had been called for the following day, 1st August 1991 at 9.00am.

He asked his godfather, "I take it you received the only one of these? There wasn't one for me?"

"Nope," replied Sirius. "One didn't arrive for you."

"Then Dumbledore is still redirecting all my mail," he frowned. "Damn the man!"

Sirius said, "I've also contacted both Madam Longbottom and Madam Bones. They confirm they've, also, received their emergency session notices."

"You know what this is going to be, don't you?" asked Harry.

His godfather replied, "Dumbledore trying to strip you of your emancipation and Lordship. And to try to get you back under his unlawful guardianship."

Harry nodded. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

# # #


	19. The Wizengamot's Rage

**A/N:** _I'm sorry for the delay, folks. I've been working closely with a lovely person who has kindly offered to beta-read and edit my jottings. An offer I gratefully accepted. So, here, I publicly acknowledge the efforts of _**alix33**_ in beta'ing this work. Previous chapters will be updated to reflect her efforts over the coming days._

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**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

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Chapter Nineteen - The Wizengamot's Rage

Though the emergency session of the Wizengamot was scheduled for 9.00am, both Harry and Sirius had arrived an hour beforehand. They met Amelia and Augusta there.

Harry trained with Dan and the few in his unit who were now somewhat aware of a few of Harry's unique gifts, that morning. But Dan could tell his mind wasn't on what he was doing. Taking him aside, Dan had asked what the matter was, so Harry told him the basics of what he suspected Dumbledore was attempting later that morning.

Dan then took him for a run to allow his mind to relax before sending him home. He knew Harry's mind was already on the meeting and that he needed to deal with that. But, he did ask Harry to mirror him when he was finished. And that he'd let Hermione know Harry wouldn't be available for her training that morning.

Dumbledore had also arrived early and was talking to everyone - including Augusta - except Sirius, Amelia and Harry. He very studiously avoided any contact with any of the last three. And, was also clearly annoyed Harry was there.

At a few minutes to 9.00am the Wizengamot, except Harry and Sirius, took their seats in the main chamber. Harry and Sirius stood on the floor before them.

At exactly 9.00am the scribe stood and announced, "Order, the time is now 9.00am and this emergency session of the Wizengamot has been called to order; Chief Warlock Dumbledore presides!"

A long 'gong' sound echoed through the chamber.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "This emergency session of the Wizengamot has been called to discuss the matter of the unlawful emancipation of..."

Augusta stood and held up her wand. She called, "Point of order, Chief Warlock!"

Dumbledore was startled by the interruption, but clearly chose to ignore Augusta when he continued, "... unlawful emancipation of Harry James Potter..."

Augusta, still standing and holding up her wand, called more firmly, "I said, _point of order_, Chief Warlock!"

Dumbledore stopped and gave an overly dramatic sigh. He said, "Very well, Augusta; _what_ is it?"

Augusta stared at Dumbledore and started rather firmly, "It's _Madam Longbottom_, Chief Warlock! We _are_ in chambers, after all."

Frowning, Dumbledore replied, "Very well, _Madam Longbottom_, what is your point of order?"

Hesitating, while she glared back at Dumbledore for a few seconds, she said, "We have two new Lords who have presented themselves in chambers, this morning. It is customary to invite them to take their seats before business commences."

Frowning even more fiercely, Dumbledore said, "This is only an _emergency_ session of the Wizengamot, Augusta, they can present themselves at the next ordinary sitting."

Glaring right back, Augusta said, "This is _still_ a sitting of the Wizengamot, Chief Warlock. And they are presenting themselves now, _as is their right_! And it's still... _Madam Longbottom_!"

Dumbledore replied with another of his 'I'm just humouring a child' sighs and said, "Very well,... _Madam Longbottom_."

Finally looking down at Sirius and Harry, he said, "Sirius... Harry... you may take your seats."

Augusta resumed her seat, but neither Sirius nor Harry moved. Sirius said, "It's _Lord Black_ and _Lord Potter_, Chief Warlock. You will address them as such!"

With yet another of his 'I'm just humouring a child' sighs, he said, "Very well,... _Lord Black_. You and the boy may take your seats."

Again, neither moved. Sirius said back very firmly, "Chief Warlock, you have been reminded _three times_ already in less than a minute of the proper forms of address in this chamber. I now remind you for the fourth time. Either you are being deliberately rude, or you are becoming mentally enfeebled. It's Lord Black and _Lord Potter_. We shall be addressed as such!"

Glaring back, Dumbledore said, "While we recognise you are the rightful Lord Black, whether or not Harry keeps his Lordship is one of the matters before this Wizengamot this morning!"

Not to be outdone in the glaring stakes, Sirius replied, "Be that as it may... and we suspected such... until this body rules, Harry James Potter is _Lord_ Potter, and will be _addressed_ as such! And that's now _five_ times! Or, are you attempting to pervert proper procedure?"

There were mutters and calls of "Hear! Hear!" from other members of the Wizengamot.

"Very well... Lord Black," grumbled Dumbledore. "You and _Lord_ Potter may take your seats."

Without a word, Harry followed Sirius up into their seats on the Wizengamot.

Once they were sitting, Dumbledore resumed with a bit of a snarl, "As I was saying, this emergency session of the Wizengamot has been called to discuss the matter of the unlawful emancipation of Harry James Potter..."

Harry shot to his feet and said, "Point of order, Chief Warlock!"

With another of his sighs, Dumbledore asked, "What is it, Harry?"

Harry glared right at Dumbledore and said, "I now have _two_ points of order. The first concerns your use of the term unlawful as it applied to my emancipation. By what right do you use the term? What law has been _already determined_ to have been broken?"

Murmurs passed through the gathering.

Dumbledore replied, "It is for _this_ body to decide what is unlawful and what is not, Harry. It is why we are here today. Now, please resume your seat."

Still standing Harry said, "And yet this body has _not yet_ made the decision it was unlawful, Chief Warlock. So, again, by what right do you use the term?"

Dumbledore replied with another of his 'I'm just humouring a child' sighs and said, "Very well... the _emancipation_ of Harry James Potter... Now, please _resume your seat_."

"I informed you I had _two_ points of order, Chief Warlock. Or, did you forget that, as well?" asked Harry quite firmly.

"Very well!" grumbled Dumbledore. "What is your _second _point of order?"

"You are still referring to me by my given name, Chief Warlock. It has been pointed out to you by both Madam Longbottom and Lord Black what is now a total of _five_ times of the requirements of your position, placed upon you as a member of this body, to address its members... _all_ of its members... by their proper titles. You still fail to do so. Your latest now makes it _six_ times!

"I now find myself feeling quite insulted, both for myself and for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter. And, as you _are_ the Chief Warlock of this body, appointed by this body to lead and _represent_ them, I now wonder if your insults are sanctioned by them all!"

Near pandemonium broke out. Harry calmly took his seat. A few of its members were yelling at him; but everyone else was yelling at Dumbledore, either demanding the floor or demanding he step down.

He looked over at Amelia, Augusta and Sirius. Amelia and Augusta were sitting quite calmly while Sirius was laughing his head off. Amelia was smirking back while Augusta just had her eyes closed and a pained look on her face.

"_Order!_" roared Dumbledore. "_Order! I will have order in this place!_"

Members slowly began to resume their seats. All except Lady Griselda Marchbanks.

Dumbledore, grumbling away and about to start talking again, noticed Lady Marchbanks still standing with her wand raised. "Sit down, please, Griselda; so we can get on with this!"

"That's _seven_ times... _Albus_!" she waspishly snapped back. "I now formally move that Albus Percival 'whatever' Dumbledore be _dismissed _as Chief Warlock immediately..."

"What? No!" exclaimed Dumbledore.

"... for behaviour not in keeping with the office of Chief Warlock!" she finished.

"I do not accept the motion!" he snapped.

Sirius shot to his feet with his wand raised and said, "I second the motion!"

"I have a seconder!" called Lady Marchbanks. Turning to look at Dumbledore, she said, "A formal motion, one you _cannot_ ignore or fail to accept by procedure of this body, is before you... Chief Warlock. You _will_ call the vote... or _I_ will!"

"I am Albus Dumbledore!" the old fool called back. "And _I_ am Chief Warlock of this Wizengamot. I will not be spoken to in this manner! You will sit down immediately!"

Still standing Lady Marchbanks replied, "Then you leave me no choice... _Albus_. Under Standing Order six seven four, all those in favour of the motion removing Albus Dumbledore from the position of Chief Warlock will signify with the raising and lighting of their wands."

Of the members present, all but nine did so. The Minister, who had been trying to make himself look as inconspicuous as possible, was one of the nine. Dumbledore was still spluttering about how he refused the motion.

"All those against?" asked Lady Marchbanks.

Of the last nine, only the Minister and two others, Doge and Yaxley voted against the motion. The other six abstained. Of two members of the Wizengamot least likely to be on the same side in a vote, it had to be Doge and Yaxley. It was clear it was noticed by other members.

After only a glance about the chamber, Lady Marchbanks stated, "The vote appears to be near-unanimous against you, Albus. You will step down, immediately."

Grumbling sulphurously, Dumbledore didn't move for about five seconds. Suddenly, he shot to his feet and stomped away to take a seat at the end of one of the lower tiers. Lady Marchbanks took her seat.

Harry stood and raised the tip of his wand.

Lady Marchbanks asked, "You wish to say something, Lord Potter?"

"Yes, Lady... ummm..." he stammered.

"It's Lady Marchbanks, Lord Potter" she said.

"Thank you, Lady Marchbanks," he said. "I apologise for not knowing who you were and meant no disrespect. I wish to ask three questions, if I may?"

"You may ask, Lord Potter," she replied.

"Thank you, Ma'am... Ummm... Lady Marchbanks," he said. "My first question is: Now that Mister Dumbledore is no longer the Chief Warlock, who is supposed to chair this meeting?"

"Hem-hem"

"I do, Lord Potter," she replied. "As the oldest member of the Wizengamot, the role falls to me until a new Chief Warlock is appointed."

"Thank you, Lady Marchbanks," he said. "My second question is: Now that Mister Dumbledore is no longer Chief Warlock, and as he is not a Lord or a senior member of the Ministry, how does he now come to occupy a seat on the Wizengamot?"

"_Hem-Hem!_"

"As Headmaster of Hogwarts, and as there is currently no _Lord_ of Hogwarts, he holds the position as _Castellan_ of Hogwarts; the Governor. As such, he is recognised as an adjunct Lord and sits _in absentia_ of the Lord," she replied.

"Thank you, again, Lady Marchbanks," he said. "My third question falls moot. And, I apologise for not knowing this in advance. My _true legal magical guardian_, as per my parents' Will, my godfather, Lord Black, has, through no fault of his own, been remiss in some of his instruction to me of my responsibilities as the Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House."

"Oi! Pup!" exclaimed Sirius. Harry chose to ignore him.

Dumbledore interjected at the same time, "As such, he should be stripped of his Lordship immediately!"

"_Hem! Hem!_"

Again, he was ignored. Clearly, Lady Marchbanks did not even deign to recognise anyone saying anything until she formally recognised them.

Harry continued, "The person who _claimed_ to be my magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore - whom I never met until a few short days ago in the Alley, when he _assaulted_ me by grabbing me and dragging me out of my chair - also clearly never provided me with the training I needed to be Head of such a Noble and Most Ancient House."

"Pardon, Lord Potter?" asked Lady Marchbanks. "Castellan Dumbledore was fulfilling the role as your magical guardian? Why _on Earth_ would you need a magical guardian? You're of a Noble and Most Ancient House!"

"_HEM! HEM!_"

Knowing who... and what... he'd be addressing, Harry looked around and asked, "My apologies, Lady Marchbanks; but, where on _Earth_ is that horrid, _toad-like_, croaking sound coming from _while I have the floor_?"

Harry heard a couple of snorts of amusement and mutterings coming from the assembled members.

"How _dare_ you!" screeched Dolores Umbridge, the source of the noise, before Lady Marchbanks could say a word.

Before the woman could say anything else, Harry cut in and said, "I _dare_... whoever you are... because I currently have the floor and your _rude_ noises are both distracting and, quite frankly, annoying! If you are suffering from some malady that troubles your throat I suggest you refrain from passing it on, and _infecting_, the rest of us by removing yourself from this chamber."

"_I_ am Dolores Jane Umbridge, _Special _Assistant to the Minister of Magic, and I _will not be spoken to this way_!" the ugly woman huffed.

"Ah! So, you're not a Head, Regent or Proxy of a Noble House, nor even a _Head_ of a Department, who have the right to be here. In other words, you have no voice on this august body. Your _toad_ noises are infringing on my time on the floor."

"_I... I... You...!_" Umbridge gasped out near choleric in rage.

"Madam Umbridge, _be silent_!" snapped out Lady Marchbanks. "Lord Potter does, indeed, have the floor. Your... throat clearing... is not the approved method by which to gain my attention!" Turning back to Harry, she said, "Lord Potter, you were saying."

"Thank you, Lady Marchbanks," replied Harry with a slight bow. "I was _about to say_ I thought you knew that Albus Dumbledore, contrary to my parents' wishes, put me with my non-magical relatives on my mother's side, Vernon and Petunia Dursley. If I was put with the people my parents had _wished for me_ in their Will, then I wouldn't have needed such a guardian. _Castellan_ Dumbledore was able to do that by sealing my parents' Will."

"Your parents' Will was sealed because material within it was considered a security risk," she said.

"Really? By whom, Lady Marchbanks?" he asked. "I've read it and fail to see what sort of security risk it could be. And, Madam Bones over there, in her role as Head of the DMLE, has a copy of it and has now _also_ read it. Mayhap, you should ask her what's in it that represents a security risk."

Dumbledore cut-in raising his wand and not waiting to be recognised, "Ooh... errr... There's no need for that! It was sealed for the boy's safety. There's no need to open the Will now."

"Madam Bones?" asked Lady Marchbanks, ignoring Dumbledore and turning to Amelia. "Is there something within the Will that may be considered, or may have been considered, a security risk?"

"Madam Bones!" Dumbledore again cut in, "I've already said there's no need to open the Will. Think of the boy's safety!"

"No, Lady Marchbanks; there is _not_," replied Amelia. "Other than the usual financial details of dispositions relating to select friends and associates, there is a section on whom the Potters sought to be the physical guardians for their then infant son, Harry James Potter. And, it is _very_ clear where it states he was _never_ to be put with the Dursleys. They preferred he be placed in an orphanage before going to his non-magical relatives."

"No!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "You are to speak no more of it! I won't have it!"

Still choosing to ignore Dumbledore, Amelia said, "The Will was also _witnessed_ by Albus Dumbledore. So, he _knew_ the contents of the Will _well_ before he sealed it. He knew there was no such security risk, and he knew the infant Harry Potter was never to be put with his non-magical relatives. Yet, _that_ is precisely what he did."

"Castellan Dumbledore? Do you have any explanation for this?" asked a clearly unhappy Lady Marchbanks.

"What I did was for the best interests and safety of the child," said a huffy Dumbledore. "It's still the best place for him, and I _insist_ he be sent back there immediately, until he boards the train for Hogwarts on the first of September!"

"If what I've heard of the scars on Lord Potter's body is any indication," snapped Lady Marchbanks. "It most clearly is _not_ the best place for him."

Turning back to Amelia, she asked, "And what does the rest of Lord Potter's file disclose?"

"The _entire_ file has been sealed by Albus Dumbledore, Lady Marchbanks," Amelia said formally.

"Then we shall _unseal it_ and see if we can get to the bottom of this," said the Acting Chief Warlock. Turning to Harry she asked, "Lord Potter, do you mind if we do this?"

"Not at all, Lady Marchbanks," said a happy Harry.

"Thank you, Lord Potter," she replied. "We'll take a ten minute recess while the files relating to Lord Potter are brought before us. We're adjourned."

Two of the Ministry support staff hurried from the chamber.

# # #

During the break a number of other members of the Wizengamot approached both Harry and Sirius and formally introduced themselves. Even the Minister approached, without his tag-along Umbridge, to offer their welcome to the Body. Harry was then able to get an initial feel for those members who were likely allies and enemies.

Many wanted to organise private meetings with them both, or individually, to 'discuss matters of like views on wizarding matters'. The Minister was almost pleading with Harry to join with him to give interviews to the wizarding press, trying to curry the image the Boy-Who-Lived supported him.

When the Ministry staff returned, Lady Marchbanks called the meeting back to order.

After everyone returned to their seats, she ordered, "Bring the files relating to Lord Potter to me."

The files were passed up to her. She looked through the files, and said, "Are all these files supposed to be sealed? His medical records, the files on occasions of accidental magic, the financial disclosure files... All of them?"

One of the Ministry support personnel replied, "Yes, Lady Marchbanks; _all_ of them. By order of the Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore."

"Well, I'm _opening them_ as Acting Chief Warlock," she snapped. Then she passed her wand over the documents and broke the seals on each of them.

Opening the first one, she said, "This is the medical file of Lord Potter." She then held the file up and open. "It's empty," she said looking to the staffer.

"Yes, Lady Marchbanks," said the staffer. "We've never received any parchments to put within it."

"Lord Potter," she said, looking at Harry. "Where are your medical records?"

"Other than a couple of times where I was treated by a non-magical doctor while with my aunt and uncle, I've never had occasion to visit a medical practice, Lady Marchbanks," replied Harry.

"But, what about your inoculations?" she asked.

"Inoculations, Lady Marchbanks?" asked Harry. "Do you mean for rubella, cholera, stuff like that?"

"I'm... I don't know what those are, Lord Potter," she replied. "I mean inoculations for dragon pox, wizard flu, scrofungulus, and the like."

"Ummm... I've never been inoculated for those, Lady Marchbanks. To the best of my knowledge, I've never visited a trained _magical_ healer's medical practice in my life!"

There was quite a bit of angry mutterings from other members of the Wizengamot on hearing that.

Turning to Dumbledore she asked, "Castellan Dumbledore, as you claimed to be the boy's magical guardian, it was _your_ responsibility to have the boy receive the necessary inoculations. When and where were those carried out?"

Dumbledore grumped and grouched before he said, "I just never found the time to take him. There were always more pressing matters with which to deal."

Furore erupted.

After Griselda Marchbanks regained control, she said to Harry, "After you depart here today, Lord Potter, I strongly recommend you present yourself to St Mungo's to see about those inoculations." Turning to glance at Dumbledore she said, "It is quite clear the person claiming to be your magical guardian has _utterly_ failed you in his responsibilities regarding your health."

Next, she opened the file containing accidental bouts of magic. There were quite a lot of parchments in this file and she spent a while reading through them.

Once she finished she said, "This file contains over _fifty_ incidents of accidental magic, of which over_ forty_ of them relate to self-healing."

More angry mutterings from the members.

Turning to Amelia, she said, "Madam Bones, I certainly hope that these Dursley people have been, or are being, dealt with by the authorities."

"They are, Lady Marchbanks," she replied. "At this present time I have been informed, through contacts in law enforcement in the non-magical world, they are being held in a _secure_ location under arrest. For security reasons and for their own safety," she said, glancing at Dumbledore, "the location is _not_ in the public record."

"They'll need to be freed _immediately_!" spluttered Dumbledore. "They need to be released to take care of Harry!"

"Good!" said Lady Marchbanks, glancing back down at the file before her. "Over forty cases of self-healing using accidental magic," she said, shaking her head. Looking up at Harry she asked, "Just what happened to you there, Lord Potter?"

"I'm... currently in the process of writing an account of all that, Lady Marchbanks," replied Harry. "I'm using the experience of writing it all down as a form of... catharsis. So, I'd rather hold off on any comment that will enter the public record, for now, Ma'am."

"That is your right, Lord Potter," she replied solemnly.

"Now, the financial disclosure documents," she said, turning to the next file.

Opening it, she again held it open and aloft. She said, "Again, it is empty!"

"Yes, Lady Marchbanks," said the staffer. "We've never received any parchments to put within that one, either."

"Lord Potter," she said, looking at Harry. "Where are your financial records?"

"Other than with the goblins, Lady Marchbanks," replied Harry, "I have no idea. I've never received an item of mail from them concerning that. They have, however, informed me they have sent plenty."

"Castellan Dumbledore, as well as intercepting Lord Potter's... fan mail," she asked, glaring at the old wizard. "Have you also been intercepting his financial records?"

"As I have already stated, Griselda," he huffed. "It is for the boy's safety he not receive mail. It could have included any manner of harmful hexes and the like."

"So, you now accuse the goblins of this foul chicanery?" she waspishly asked.

"No, no," replied Dumbledore. "Someone may have sent him something _purporting_ to be from the goblins. I couldn't take the risk!"

Harry again stood and asked, "If I may, Lady Marchbanks?"

"Lord Potter," she replied with a nod.

"I have been informed Albus Dumbledore currently faces charges relating to my mail being intercepted," said Harry. "I would inform you, and the members, I'm _still_ not receiving my mail. I only knew of this meeting, as Lord Black felt it was his duty to me to ensure I had the relevant information."

"Lord Potter," asked Lady Marchbanks. "Do you mean to inform us, you did not receive your summons to this meeting of the Wizengamot?"

"Yes, Lady Marchbanks, I do," replied Harry. "I'm _still_ not receiving any correspondence, whether it be from this body, the Ministry, the goblins at Gringotts, friends, or even people who would wish me well. And, I must say, I'm getting _pretty bloody annoyed_ about it!"

"Castellan Dumbledore," said Lady Marchbanks staring furiously at Dumbledore, "you have already been charged with committing the crime of mail interception. Are you still committing this criminal act?"

"As I said at Sirius's trial..." Dumbledore began,

Lady Marchbanks overrode him. "_Castellan Dumbledore!_ You will answer the question with a 'yes' or a 'no'. Are you still committing this criminal act?"

"As Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot..." he tried.

She overrode, "_I_ am the Acting Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. _You_ no longer hold the position, and you _will_ answer the question! Are you still committing this criminal act?"

"I will not be spoken to this way!" he spluttered.

"Aurors!" she called.

"_No! No!_" cried Dumbledore.

"Aurors, you are to take _Albus Dumbledore_, and throw his disobedient _butt_ into a holding cell."

"I will _not_ allow you to do this!" Dumbledore continued to splutter.

"There, you will learn from him, _by whatever means are necessary_, how he is intercepting Lord Potter's mail, and you will then remove that interception," intoned Lady Marchbanks.

"_Griselda_, this has gone far enough!" spluttered Dumbledore even more.

"Further, you will ensure Albus Dumbledore is _never again_ able to intercept Lord Potter's mail. You will not release him until that has occurred," she snapped.

"I am the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW," tried Dumbledore from a different tack. "You are _not_ permitted to treat this way."

"That's easily rectified," replied Lady Marchbanks. "Take him away!"

"No!" Dumbledore struggled as he was dragged away. "Griselda? Griselda! Release me at once! _Griselda_!"

After the doors shut behind the auror escort and Dumbledore's still spluttering and demanding self, Lady Marchbanks then said, "As he has raised it, himself - and though there is still the matter that originally brought this body together this day - I seek a mover to have Albus Dumbledore removed as magical Britain's representative on the ICW."

Augusta stood, but was beaten to the floor, by about six members; light, grey and dark, alike.

"The chair recognises Lord Greengrass as the mover," said the Lady. "Do I have second?"

Other than Lord Greengrass, no one else sat down, a few others rose, though.

"The chair recognises Madam Longbottom as seconder," she said. "Unless anyone feels strongly enough to speak up against the motion?... In that case, I'm calling the vote."

This time there was about a 60/40 split in favour of the motion.

"Scribe, note that Albus Dumbledore has been removed from his position on the ICW," said Lady Marchbanks. "Please, ensure the ICW are informed of this immediately on the conclusion of this meeting. Inform them they shall also be looking for a new Supreme Mugwump, as Albus Dumbledore cannot hold that position if he is not also the representative of magical Britain."

"Yes, Lady Marchbanks," said the scribe. He'd been monitoring a brace of dicta-quills from the start of the meeting.

Referring back to her notes, she said, "We can finally return to the business for which this emergency session was called. However, as Albus Dumbledore is not here to speak on behalf of his motion, I hereby declare it invalid. Is there any new business?"

Nobody said anything.

"In that case," she said. "I hereby declare this meeting closed. Lord Potter, please ensure you attend St Mungo's at your earliest opportunity. Like, now."

Harry knew an order when he heard one.

# # #

Harry received his inoculations, that afternoon. And, was ordered immediately to bed. If Sirius hadn't also been there, they would have stuck him in a bed at the hospital. As it was, Sirius was able to take him back to the Pottery. There, he ordered him to bed, and dosed him with one of his own sedative potions.

The next morning, Harry still wasn't feeling all that well, but joined the Major on the range and for physical fitness. Again, Dan noticed he wasn't training up to par, so questioned him on it.

Harry replied, "I finally received my inoculations for magicals in the wizarding world, yesterday afternoon. I'm still feeling a tad seedy from it."

Surprised, Dan asked, "Did they provide you with any instructions regarding physical activity, and for how long?"

Frowning, Harry replied, "No. They just said, 'Rest for the rest of the day and have an early night'. I've done that."

"Good," said Dan, grinning. "In that case, the British military have a perfect treatment for how to treat people following required inoculations. I'll be applying that to you. We're going for a run... double the usual distance... then we're going to do some callisthenics to get the heart pumping the blood, and those inoculates, around your system; then a warm down run."

Groaning, Harry closed his eyes and said, "Oh. God!"

When he arrived home for breakfast, he flopped into a chair at the kitchen table. Sirius handed him a Pepper-Up potion. "There must be laws against killing Heads of Noble houses with exercise," moaned Harry.

That afternoon the other three heirs arrived, and Harry was able to help them set the locks on their trunks. They loved how he had asked for the House crests to be emblazoned on their trunks. Hermione was already speaking about how she was going to use the space within her trunk the mokeskin lining afforded her; as was Susan.

The other heirs were now actively following individual preferences of the subject matter they favoured. Harry was focussed on potions and runes, Hermione on spellcraft, Susan on law, and Neville on herbology.

'Interesting,' thought Harry.

Harry then had Dobby bring the more regal looking of the two owls he'd just purchased, together with a bag of assorted owl treats, down. She was sitting quite alertly in her large, gilded cage looking about.

"Oooh!" squealed Hermione and Susan. "She's _gorgeous_, Harry!" exclaimed Hermione. "What's her name?"

"That's for your parents to decide, 'Mione," replied Harry. "This is the gift I'm giving them for their assistance when we walked through the Alley to buy my things."

Hermione looked gobsmacked at Harry. "You bought them an _owl_?"

Harry shrugged. "The trunk is _your_ gift for attaining your Headship of House Ravenclaw. The owl is theirs, as agreed, for accompanying me in the Alley that day. I was only allowed to buy them one gift, remember? This is the most practical thing I could think of that I know they'd appreciate. This way they can..."

Hermione, after a moment and while Harry was explaining, leapt at him and tackled him to the floor in a big hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyou!" she squealed.

"Oof!" exclaimed Harry. "Gerroff, 'Mione!"

Neville roared with laughter while Susan just stood there, not knowing whether to be amused or horrified a '_Lady_' had tackled a Lord and gave the appearance of trying to hug him to death in his own parlour.

"...thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyou!" continued the young witch. "You're so _wonderful_!"

Sirius and Remus were just standing back and watching with their own levels of amusement.

"'Mione!" begged Harry. "I need to breathe!"

Sirius had to step forward and lift Hermione off Harry before she accidentally killed him through suffocation.

Later, after Hermione had calmed down but still looked at Harry like she wanted to hug him to death, Harry helped Hermione take her trunk and her parents' new owl back to the Granger residence. When he gave the owl and its... accoutrements... to the Grangers, he was smothered in another hug. This time by Emma.

At least Harry knew where Hermione got her hugging gene from.

They called the owl, Curie; named after Marie Curie, the first woman to earn a Nobel Prize. Harry nicknamed it 'Mir Curie', a play on the name 'Mercury', the messenger of the Gods. Mir, in Arabic, meant 'of Noble rank'. And the entire name would, therefore, mean 'Lady Curie'.

Dan just thought he was being a smart-aleck, which made Harry impudently grin in response. Which made Dan snort and say, "Don't forget training tomorrow, lad. Then, you're mine!"

Harry shut up after that.

The second owl was the Pottery manor owl, and would remain there for the use of Sirius and Remus, or anyone else who was in-residence at the time in the future. Remus ended up naming it 'Crackpot'; a play on it being the Pottery owl, and how it always seem to watch them with its head tilted to the side.

# # #

After spending almost twenty-four hours in a holding cell at the Ministry, Dumbledore was finally released. However, it was not until after he gave a magical vow to remove the current mail redirection within the hour, and to not invoke another mail redirection for anyone except himself, or by any means instruct another to invoke a mail redirection.

The aurors had been very careful in the wording of the vow for Dumbledore to invoke, and allowed him to divert from it not one jot.

Upon returning to his office at Hogwarts, he removed the Potter boy's mail redirection. He knew he had no choice in the matter.

His job was made harder, however, due to much of what he considered personal property having been seized by the goblins.

Now that his attempt in the Wizengamot to have the boy stripped of his emancipation, his Lordship, and Black's guardianship of him had failed, Dumbledore knew his last chance to have the boy brought back under his control before the first of September had been lost.

However, he knew the Potter boy would, again, be his to control once he set foot on the train at 11.00am on the First of September. He would then have him until Christmas recess, and have him back again until the following June. He would use the time wisely, by working his skills upon the boy. He anticipated he would have the boy enthralled well short of Christmas.

When he went down for his lunch, the other staff that lived at the castle full-time ignored him. He was beginning to suspect they were planning to have him ousted. Well, he wasn't going to allow _that_ to happen. Hogwarts was _his_ domain! He started to think about which staff he was going to need to replace if they attempted to directly challenge him.

# # #

Other than the small hiccup with the Wizengamot at the beginning of the month, the rest of August passed smoothly.

Harry started receiving his mail immediately following the announcement Dumbledore had been released. Of course, it was all being routed through Amelia's office, where trainees and curse breakers were examining every item before sending it on. He was also receiving a report first thing each morning from the aurors informing him what had been held back, and why.

There were attempts at slipping him marriage contracts, parchments laced with compulsion charms, tracking charms, howlers, and all manner of trickery. These were held back and the senders of them brought to the DMLE offices to explain what they thought they were doing. The worst ones had the senders charged. Amelia's aurors were having a veritable field day!

The fan mail that finally arrived at the Pottery, Harry had Dobby draft replies. The ones that were gifts, Harry had sent back with a thank you letter and a request the sender donate the money to a fund that was set up for an orphanage for magical children. The letters and cards were sent thank you notes. Harry signed every letter or note in reply.

Every morning, Dobby took the replies to the Diagon Alley owl post office to be sent. Harry was running an account at the post office just for that purpose. Dobby was enjoying himself, immensely.

The three heirs, under the patient instruction of Remus, were all able to safely apparate in only a couple of weeks of their first attempts. There were no splinching incidents. Harry suspected there was no splinching because all of them were able to focus so well on what they were doing from their meditation training.

Now that Hermione could apparate she was able to bring herself to her flight and form power training, while Harry brought Dan. He didn't need to ask Sirius or Remus to give him a hand acting as magical transport.

Hermione's flight training had reached the point she had well and truly overcome her fear of heights. He even had her dive off the roof of the manor in human form and shift to her animagus form while in the air.

They had a day when a summer electrical storm passed through the area and he and Hermione were able to do some training in amongst the low clouds. Hermione was getting a pretty good handle on her lightning strike magic. She was now able to shoot herself across the sky over fifteen miles away.

Dan called her 'a bright spark' when he watched one of her efforts shooting across the sky and she landed to ask him what he saw. Her problem was, Harry heard it, laughed and called her 'Sparky'. That was her new animagus name. Hermione wasn't impressed, but the others thought it was a wonderful name and fit her form perfectly.

They were beginning to work on her being able to pinpoint a location beyond the range of sight and lightning flash to that point. Harry didn't think it was going to be too long until she'd mastered that. She was also getting a pretty good handle on from where to draw the electrons. Harry could now be very close and he barely felt the drain on his physical body's nervous system.

Dan and Sirius worked with Susan on using shadows and moving silently across any terrain. She had reached a point in her training where she was pretty invisible in any sort of shadow unless she wanted to be seen. Dan had mentioned he found it uncanny the way he tried to track her through the woods. She'd even managed to sneak right up behind him and nudge him in the back of the knee when he thought she was hundreds of yards out ahead of him. He reported later it was the first time in many years he'd ever been so thoroughly trounced on a stalking exercise.

It was Dan who came up with her name when he said she was 'a bloody ninja' when he was startled by her on one too many occasions. When he explained what a ninja was to the magical-borns, 'Ninja' became Susan's animagus name. She liked it.

Sirius also worked with Neville on his form and movement. Sirius had started using training dummies and had Neville knock them down, shift back to his normal form on the way down, and pretend to stab the target before shifting back to his animagus form and moving on to the next target dummy.

Harry had been keeping in contact with his contact at Bloomsbury publishing and, with only a week to go before boarding the train for Hogwarts, he was informed his first batch of one thousand printed books called '_Harry Potter: In His Own Words_' was ready to be collected. The publisher offered to use their own contacts with distributors to see them on shelves in bookshops around the country, but Harry informed them the first batch was for his private use only.

When he had a spare hour, Harry headed to the publisher's distribution centre and collected his boxes. There were forty-two boxes of a very similar dimension of five reams of A3 printing paper, or ten reams of A4. Each box contained twenty-four - two dozen - books. The boxes were loaded on a pallet and stood approximately four feet high.

He had them deliver the pallet out to their back loading dock. Then, as with his chemistry equipment, he informed them he'd wait outside for his truck to arrive, and that he could handle it on his own from there. As soon as no one was in sight, he called Dobby and had the little elf pop the whole lot back to the manor.

He stored it all, except eight books that were in a smaller box, in his basement workshop. Those eight he left out. He gave one each to Sirius and Remus, and sent a copy each to Amelia and Augusta. All signed copies, of course. He then delivered two to Sir David for one to be delivered on to the Queen and to keep one for himself, and one to Sir Anthony. The last one, print number 1, he kept for himself.

There were three hundred students and staff at Hogwarts. Each would be given their own copy. The rest would be held until the third of September when Sirius and Remus would offer them for sale through wizarding bookshops such as Flourish and Blotts.

He'd also instructed the goblins to inform Mr Doge, his lawyer, who his client really was, and to instruct the man to start going after the authors, publishers and bookshops about the outright lies and untruths in books that were reportedly about him. That would then leave the field open when Sirius and Remus approached the bookshop owners about his own book. He also provided them with a signed statement from him that the books were to be accepted as true and correct, and that he, Harry Potter, would not sue anyone for selling or distributing them.

He also worked on his pranking potions and rune stones during the lead up to the first of the month. All these were carefully labelled and stored in his trunk as they were finished. Those potions that had a short shelf life he placed under a 'keep fresh' or stasis enchantment.

During one of their animagus training sessions, while Neville was in his wolverine form, Susan noticed how he always seemed to be muttering something to himself in an annoyed fashion. Harry explained that the noises Neville was making was the usual noises made by a wolverine. Susan thought, while Neville was normally one of the moat placid people she'd ever met, he was just being grumpy at the time. And Neville was awarded his animagus name of 'Grumpy' on the spot.

A week before the end of the month he arranged an invitation for the others of their little group to gather for a celebratory and farewell get-together at the Pottery on the Saturday, the Thirty-First of August, the day before the train ride.

# # #

The month of August was a nightmare for Dumbledore. He was informed two days after the Wizengamot meeting he had also been dismissed as magical Britain's representative on the ICW. The next day the ICW informed him, direct, he was replaced as the Supreme Mugwump by a counterpart in New Zealand.

What really stuck in Dumbledore's craw was the nice and polite way the letter 'thanked him for his service to the magical world' and 'wished him the best'. As if he was now a non-entity to be swept into the pages of history. He had hoped to use his contacts within the ICW to force the Wizengamot to reinstate him as Chief Warlock and the British representative. However, that plan was clearly dead and buried.

Each time Dumbledore received his stipend as Headmaster in his accounts the money would immediately disappear again. He attempted to be paid cash, but the Ministry said all payments were made direct to bank accounts. It was a safety issue to stop people from being mugged for their pay on payday.

Now out of liquid assets, Dumbledore was confined to the castle. He'd even run out of his favourite muggle sweets and was unable to buy any more. The castle house elves had attempted to make them for him, but they didn't taste the same. Professor Grubbly-Planck eventually felt sorry enough for him she went into muggle London herself and purchased him a couple of bags' worth. Dumbledore was just thankful they didn't disappear.

During the month, Dumbledore was barely able to keep ahead of moves to finally have his case heard. He claimed he was far too busy dedicating his time to preparing for the new year of studies at Hogwarts. He claimed he'd been more than punished by having his positions on the ICW and Wizengamot stripped from him. He claimed he had found himself, through no fault of his own, currently out of funds to secure the services of a suitable barrister to represent his interests in such an important matter. He politically ducked, and legally dived. He promised support in order to obtain it. He even found himself hinting to that Malfoy man his 'support' could be bought. And he hated all of it.

It wasn't until two days before the end of the month, when he accepted a bribe large enough to finally clear his debt to the goblins, before they stopped stripping him of any assets he gained. And he could breathe a sigh of relief.

# # #

Pixie and Dobby had been working hard all morning to make sure everything was as close to perfect as possible for the farewell party. Harry even made Sirius and Remus spruce themselves up for the event and then sent them to collect Dan and Emma while Hermione apparated herself to the Pottery. The Longbottoms and Boneses floo'ed in a short while later.

All were sat down at the little-used dining table in the dining room. Harry at one end, his godfather at the other. On his left he had Hermione, Dan, Emma and Remus. On the right he had Amelia, Susan, Neville and Augusta. The table was decorated with a couple of low centrepieces.

Once everyone was seated and had their favourite cold beverage before them, Harry stood and said, "Thank you, everyone, for coming. Over the past dozen weeks everyone here has played an integral part in what will soon happen. The groundwork has been laid, the training undergone, the preparation completed. A silly old manipulative fool has been, for at least the short term, bested."

With a bit of a toast towards his godfather, Harry went on to say, "My godfather, Sirius Black, unjustly imprisoned, has finally been released." He indicated Remus, "A friend, long lost, has been reunited with us."

Indicating the others he said, "And new friendships have been formed."

"Tomorrow, us four heirs embark on a new part of our lives. Though we no longer require any of the education we are about to receive..." he chuckled, as did a few others, "... we can use the opportunity to form friendships, alliances, and just have fun!

"We have a year in which to enjoy just being like everybody else. But, this time next year, the really hard yards start. And the wizarding world is not going to know what's hit it! We four heirs will identify ourselves. And we will be kicking butts and changing the magical world!"

"Remember, everyone, your mirrors." He'd given Remus the final spare mirror just after the start of the month. "We can use them to keep in contact. Remember, too, that Dan and Emma are mundane and don't have the ability to travel anywhere magically on their own. And could someone please remember to visit them once in a while to at least make sure their mirror's wand is fully charged."

"I'm sad about leaving members of my new family behind. But, I'm excited about what tomorrow is going to bring. I say, 'Bring it on'. Cheers!"

He received a few laughs and they enjoyed their last meal together for a quite some time.

# # #

At 10.00am the next morning, Harry arrived on platform nine and three quarters at Kings Cross Station. He was accompanied by both Sirius and Remus. Both insisted on helping him carry his effects on board, even though it was only Hedwig in her cage, and his trunk.

Harry was the first of the four to arrive, so he grabbed the particular compartment in which they'd planned to share. One car back from the prefects, first compartment if it was free, it was. He had no need to be outside so Sirius and Remus waited in the compartment with him until the others started to arrive.

Hermione was next. As her parents couldn't enter the platform - something Harry was determined to fix, once they took control of the school - she headed straight for the compartment. Remus saw her struggling to get her trunk onto the train, so dashed outside before he even said anything. She joined them a few moments later.

Susan and Neville arrived together with Amelia and Augusta. Like Hermione and him, the other two heirs were very excited about going to Hogwarts.

Susan said, "Boarding the Hogwarts Express for the first time is a rite of passage. We move from being sheltered under our guardians' care pretty much all the time, to taking our first, tentative, steps as being on our own."

Neville nodded and, turning to Harry, asked, "So, what was supposed to happen in the other timelines at this point?"

Harry replied, "Well, I was supposed to have met Ron Weasley out on the mundane side of the platform. We'd have... sort of... made friends. But he didn't recognise me. We boarded and shared a compartment, just the two of us, a couple of compartments behind this one.

"A few hours from now, Hermione was going to come and visit us looking for a pet toad that you, Neville, had lost. But we wouldn't have had anything to do with her until we arrived at the castle and, all of us except Susan, would have been sorted into Gryffindor. Hermione would have shared a boat ride with Susan, and sort-of been friends with her after that. But Susan was sorted into Hufflepuff, so there wasn't that many opportunities to mingle.

"Also, during the train ride, a blond-haired boy named Draco Malfoy, also going to his first year at Hogwarts, came looking for me. His father had tasked him with finding me and trying to strike up a friendship. Ron mouths off at him and they get into an argument. That, unfairly, sours me to the boy. I think it was one of the worst mistakes I made during the year and we hadn't even arrived at the castle yet."

"And you think that's what's going to happen again?" asked Susan.

"Well, Ron and Draco are both going to try and track me down. I very much suspect Ron will find me first. He's going to ask if he can sit with me as, 'everywhere else is full'. That's nonsense, of course, as the train is magical and expands and shrinks as needed to accommodate everyone.

"Draco acts a bit of a git. He tries to come off as regal and important. Instead, he just comes off as a git. Plus, he has Tweedledumb and Tweedle-even-dumber with him; Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. I think he's also asserting his authority, though he actually has none, over them."

Harry shook his head and sighed, "What happens on this first train ride has such a significant effect on the next seven years of my life, in either of the other two timelines. For everyone, new friendships are near-instantly formed, and lifelong enemies are created. And all this is thrown onto the shoulders of _eleven _year olds."

"So, who do you think will arrive first? Ron or Draco?" asked Neville.

"Definitely Ron," said Harry with a smile. "He's on his own. Draco has to collect Gregory and Vincent, as 'backup' goons first. There's no point strutting if you don't have an _entourage_."

He sighed and continued, "It's not for very many years I eventually discover that, in the Dumbledore meddling timeline, Ron was sent by his mother to track me down, just like Draco, and to make friends with me. His mother was told by Dumbledore to do so. Ron, though he's not an idiot... just lazy, just did as his mother asked. He knew his little sister had a crush on her fanciful image of 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' so he saw no harm in it.

"Ron filled my head with how Slytherin was full of dark wizards and witches, Ravenclaw were all smart-alecks, Hufflepuff were duffers, and only those who went into Gryffindor were worthy of his respect. So, when I arrived at Hogwarts, I begged the hat to put me in Gryffindor, even though it wanted to put me in Slytherin.

"I still wonder how my life would have turned out if I was sorted into Slytherin. I don't think it would have been anywhere near as hard."

"Do we let either of them in, if they turn up?" asked Hermione.

Harry shrugged and said, "I don't think it's going to make much of a difference. Ron will be on his own, and we definitely have the room to let him be in here. I'd be interested to see how he plays it when I tell him I think I'd like to go into Slytherin," he grinned. "However, Draco will be with Gregory and Vincent; and we won't have the room for all of them."

"If Ron gets snotty, though, we can throw his butt back out. I'm not going to put up with someone like that, when I definitely don't have to. The same applies to Draco."

After the train pulled out of Kings Cross Station, with much waving of hands out of train windows and from the platform with tears in eyes of mothers, and not a few of the children, the four heirs waited to see how long it would be before the others arrived. Susan, sitting next to the door, was reading a book slow-style, as was Hermione sitting next to her. Harry had the window seat and Neville sat opposite Susan not doing much of anything.

Less than five minutes later the door was wrenched open by... Ron.

"Do you mind?" snapped Susan.

Ron glanced around until he spotted Harry, who had been looking out the window until the door was opened. Harry could see the recognition in his eyes.

"Ooh... errr... Do you mind if I sit in here?" he said dragging his trunk in with him. "Everywhere else is full!"

"Full?" snapped Susan, standing in front of him as he tried to barge in. "On a train magically capable of expanding to suit the needs of the passengers? I find that _hard_ to accept!"

Harry was quite amused and tried to hide his smile by turning back towards the window again. He also ensured his scar was covered under his fringe.

Brought up short by Susan blocking his way, Ron spluttered, "Oh, ummm... Well, there's room in here, so I can sit in here, then." And tried to push his way past the slightly chubby, auburn-haired girl who blocked his entry.

Susan would have none of it. "Get your hands off me!" she barked. "If you want to sit in here, you'll have to ask _politely_ first! 'Please' and 'thank you' are socially acceptable terms when you're asking for something!"

Ron, taken aback by the Susan's posture, words and the fire in her eyes, was somewhat stunned. "Oh... sorry... I..." he stuttered before regaining at least a semblance of composure. "May I... _please_... sit in here?"

Susan glared at him for a few moments before finally stepping aside. She said, "You may... _if_... you can remain _civil_."

Grumbling, Ron dragged his trunk the rest of the way into the compartment and said, "Can someone.. _please_... give me a hand with this?"

Harry, snorted and rose from his seat to give Ron a hand to lift the trunk into the overhead storage compartment. As Harry was making a few final adjustments to it, to ensure it wasn't going to fall off, Ron stepped around him and took Harry's window seat. "Thanks, mate," he said with a sigh. "I think I must've dragged that from one end of the train to the other!"

Harry, still standing, looked down at Ron with a frown and said, "You're in my seat."

"There's one over there, mate," replied Ron with a gesture towards the seat between Susan and Hermione.

"Yes, there is," replied Harry. "And you're welcome, for the moment, to sit in it. Now, _get out of my seat_."

Ron huffed but changed seats to sit between the two girls. "My name's Ron, by the way," he said. "Ron Weasley."

No one else said anything, for a few moments until Neville, remembering his training in manners his grandmother had given him, said, "This is Susan, over there's Hermione, this is Harry, and I'm Neville." He didn't offer his hand. The others only nodded.

Ron just looked to each in turn before he stared at Harry and asked in a comical attempt to sound surprised, "Harry? Are you Harry Potter? The Boy-Who-Lived? The one who defeated You-Know-Who?"

Harry looked back and quietly asked, "What makes you think I'm Harry Potter, the one who _supposedly_ beat Voldemort?"

Ron nearly visibly shuddered when Harry mentioned Voldemort's name. The other three barely blinked.

"Ummm... you... you must be, right?" asked Ron, soldiering on. "I saw the picture of you on the front page of the _Daily Prophet_, and everything?"

"Then if you knew who I was, why did you ask?" asked Harry.

"Ummm.. 'cause I wasn't sure?" replied Ron. Gathering himself, he forged on, asking, "Can I see your scar?"

Harry frowned at him and said, "Which one? The one where my Uncle Vernon hit me with a poker out of the fireplace, broke two of my ribs and left me in agony for two weeks? The one where my cousin whacked me across the back with a fence paling and dug a furrow of _flesh_ out of my shoulder? Or, what about the one where I was given third degree burns when a _hot iron_ was dragged across my arm? You're going to have to be more specific."

Ron was taken quite aback and stared back with a look of horror. "Ummm... n-no. I meant the scar where the killing curse bounced off your forehead."

"Ah," said Harry, as if he finally understood what Ron was getting at. "You mean the one I received the night when my parents were _brutally_ slain by a lunatic. The one when my mother was _murdered_ before my infant eyes, and I still have _nightmares_ about. In that case... no." Then he looked back out the window, signifying the discussion, as far as he was concerned, was over.

"Awww... go on!" Ron pushed on. "Show me!"

Neville was out of his seat in a flash and right in Ron's face with his hand on the red-headed boy's chest. He said with an almost growl, "You will _cease_ this rude behaviour immediately, or I will _toss_ your butt out of this compartment!"

Neville then resumed his seat and glared back for a moment, before turning away again. Ron didn't say a word for about five minutes, and neither did anyone else. But even that long was torture to the young boy.

He eventually asked, "So, what houses does everyone think they'll be sorted into?" Without even pausing to wait for an answer he declared, "I've got five brothers ahead of me and a sister behind me. All five have all been sorted into Gryffindor. That's where the _brave_ wizards go. If I get sorted into Slytherin, I'll quit! I'll leave school! Only _dark_ wizards go there!"

Focussing on Harry he said, "You don't want to go there! Only _evil_ gits get sorted into _that_ House!"

Calmly, Harry replied, "Really? There's nothing I read that said _anything_ of the sort! And, what about Peter Pettigrew? _He_ was a Gryffindor. There were other Death Eaters that came from Gryffindor, as well."

"Oh," replied Ron, waving his hand dismissively. "They must've fooled the sorting test and got in. A _Slytherin_ trick if I've ever heard of one!"

Harry just smirked at the idiocy of the boy. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out how he'd managed to be steered by the boy, in the other two timelines.

Wanting to tweak the lad a bit, he said, "I actually like the sound of the ideals of Slytherin; ambitious, resourceful and determined. Yes, those are the sort of ideals I can aspire to."

"No!" blurted Ron, almost jumping off his seat. "You can't! Slytherin are evil gits! You're Harry Potter!"

Harry just chuckled in response. Ron might have been lazy, but he wasn't stupid. It didn't take him long to figure out Harry was pulling his leg. He slumped back, crossed his arms, and grumped, "You're just trying to be funny!" Then he just moped.

About an hour later, Ron was talking quietly with Hermione; now choosing to ignore Harry, altogether. He was trying to talk to her about Quidditch. Hermione was just being polite, but clearly didn't care for the sport. The door was yanked open again.

Three boys stood in the doorway. Harry immediately recognised Draco Malfoy, flanked by Goyle and Crabbe.

"Is it true?" Malfoy asked, looking directly at Harry. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Really?" asked Harry. "And how would they know that?" He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean, though dense. Standing either side of the pale boy they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, ignoring Harry's question but noticing where he was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's _funny_, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles and more children than they can afford."

He turned back to Harry while Ron just huffed.

"You'll soon find out _some_ wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. _I_ can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

"Mister Malfoy, scion of the Magical House of Malfoy," Harry said firmly. "I'm sure your parents have provided you with a modicum of education into the proper formalities of greeting; especially, someone who heads a Noble and Most Ancient House."

Malfoy stared back with a look of shock on his face. He slowly lowered his hand to his side.

"You do _not_ get to call me by my surname, only," continued Harry. "You are only allowed to address me as _Lord_ Potter. Unless... and only unless... I invite you to address me otherwise, _that_ is how you will both speak to me, and refer to me."

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

Harry continued. "Now, you have insulted someone who is clearly a... companion... of mine, though he may have richly deserved it with his poor behaviour. And, you have opened the door without first knocking and _asking_ for an audience. I suggest you consider your actions before acting upon them, in future."

Harry kept on, "If you wish to enter, you may do so. However, we do _not_ have sufficient room for yourself and your companions, Misters Crabbe and Goyle."

Susan had her head buried firmly in her book, but was clearly trying not to laugh. Neville was looking like he was in shock as he'd never heard Harry speak like that before, and Hermione was clearly amused by Harry's lofty manner of speech. Ron, for about the first time since he'd entered, appeared speechless.

"Ummm... No, Lord Potter," replied Draco quietly, and apparently a little ashamed. "I... merely wished to introduce myself and my... friends."

"Then, I thank you for doing so, Mister Malfoy," said Harry. "I look forward to establishing an acquaintanceship with you, Mister Crabbe and Mister Goyle, once we are settled in at Hogwarts."

"Th... thank you, Lord Potter," said Draco. "I will... take my leave." He quietly shut the door and left.

Ron burst out laughing and said, "Wow! Harry! That was..."

Ron suddenly looked like he was hit by a curse and collapsed unconscious where he sat. Though Hermione couldn't see what had happened from where she sat, Harry and Neville stared at Susan, who looked back with an expression of complete annoyance on her face.

Neville exclaimed, quite shocked, "Susan!"

"What?" she said. "_You_ may have been willing to put up with his rubbish; but, _I_ wasn't! I'll wake him in time for him to get changed into his robes before we arrive."

Harry just chuckled.

The rocking of the train started to cause the unconscious boy to fall over, so Harry put a sticking charm on the back of his shoulders and stuck him upright in his seat. He said, "That'll hold him."

As promised, Susan enervated him with time to change into his uniform and robes; barely enough time. She told him he'd fallen asleep. The four heirs had already changed before Ron was enervated. He had to scurry fast to get dressed in time, with no time at all to ask what had happened.

A voice echoed through the train. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

# # #


	20. Hogwarts's Action

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty - Hogwart's Action

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air.

The train pulled in to Hogsmeade Station just as it was getting on dark. Hagrid was standing on the platform holding aloft a large lantern calling, "Firs' Years! Firs' Years! To me! Come along now! Firs' Years!"

Harry could feel that same yearning and excitement he felt from the direction of the castle the last two times he was here. But this time he also felt great joy. It almost made him feel a little giddy.

"Do you _feel_ that?" asked Hermione in a loud whisper to the others with wonder in her voice.

"Yes," whispered Susan. "It's like the... castle is _expecting_ us. _Welcoming_ us."

"I feel... _great joy_!" whispered Hermione.

"Here," interrupted Ron. "What're you on about?"

"Nothing for your concern, Mister Weasley," said Harry, firmly; shutting down the discussion.

As they were in the first compartment of the first carriage after the prefects', the four heirs and Ron were the first to reach Hagrid.

"'Ello, 'Arry," said Hagrid, looking down at him. "You may not remember me, but I was... we've already met. I knew yer parents."

"I know," replied Harry with a straight face.

Hagrid appeared a little flustered by the boy's stare so just looked up and called some more. "Firs' Years! Firs' Years!"

Once he thought he had all the First Years standing in front of him, he said, "Leave yer trunks! They'll be taken to the castle for you!"

Then said, "Follow me! Mind yer step, now! Firs' Years, follow me!" Holding aloft his lantern he led them off the platform and down to the edge of the lake on foot.

There, he said, "Four to a boat! Don't crowd, now! There's plenty o' room fer ev'rybody!"

Harry and the other three moved to board one of the little boats together. Ron, seeing which one the others were going to board, jumped in first, almost tipping the little vessel over.

Harry glared at him and just motioned for the others to board another. Ron had tried to clamber back out but was forced back in when another first year joined him in the rear seat. Two others quickly filled the front two.

After Hagrid made sure there weren't too many students to a boat he handed one person in each craft a small lit lantern on a pole. Susan accepted theirs. Then he climbed into one of the little boats on his own. As soon as he was seated, he said, "Everyone in?" and looked around. "Right then - FORWARD!"

His boat headed out into the lake. The other boats all followed along in its wake.

As they passed through the wards, all four of them reacted as if they'd been hit with a strong wave of emotion. Harry, as he was sure did the others, heard in his mind, '_Welcome home, my lords and ladies!_'

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Susan. "The castle!"

Other students in nearby boats looked across, wondering what was going on.

"Shhh!" whispered Harry. "You're drawing an audience!"

"Harry!" whispered Hermione. "The castle's _sentient_!"

"I heard it, too!" whispered Neville.

"We all did!" whispered Harry.

'_My Lords and Ladies, prepare to receive the wards!_' the castle said in their minds with a very happy voice.

'_No!_' shouted Harry in his mind. '_Not yet! We're nowhere _near_ ready!_'

The four heirs' boat was one of the last. Ron's boat was about thirty yards ahead of them, and he kept glancing back with a frown.

Harry received the sense of great disappointment emanating from the castle. But there was something else, as well. A sense of... determination.

'We four will let you know when it's time!' he thought, hard. 'And, we'll discuss this later! _Now_ is not the time!'

Harry whispered to the others, "This was _not_ anticipated. Myrrdin and I knew the castle was magical, but we had no idea it was fully sentient!"

Neville whispered, "Well, it seems very happy that we're here!"

Susan asked, "Why did it suddenly feel as if it was disappointed?"

"I told it not to give us the wards," whispered back Harry. "That, we were not yet ready to take them. It wasn't happy about that."

Harry watched the boats ahead of them as they each rounded the little headland and came upon their first sight of the castle. There seemed to be a lot of gasps of wonder. When his own boat rounded the headland he, too, gasped. It definitely looked impressive all lit up the way it was.

'No wonder they have the first years arrive for the first time by boat,' he thought.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff. They all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy,which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, but it was actually more like a flue. With Hagrid leading all the little boats made their way into a small harbour at the base of the cliffs under the castle. As each boat reached a long pier and came to a halt hard up against it, the students clambered out. Then the boat moved away.

Harry and the other heirs were one of the last to disembark.

Harry could see Ron, up ahead, trying to hold back to join them. However, the pier was narrow and, after some angry mutterings from fellow students, he was forced to move along up the pier, and then up the narrow path leading up through a narrow ravine in the cliff face. Harry walked along with the other three heirs in line ahead of him. He was in no race.

When they reached the top the land opened up around them. Harry could see out over the lake and the train still sitting at the station with its big headlight on. Ron had finally managed to hold back and was waiting for them.

"What have you lot been whispering about?" he asked.

"_Mister_ Weasley," snapped Susan. "We have been engaged in a _private_ conversation. It is not for you to ask!"

"Move along, Mister Weasley," said Harry. "We have a date with destiny."

He didn't know how prophetic his words were about to be.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Ev'ryone here?" called Hagrid. After looking around over their heads, he turned back, raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

# # #

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

"The Firs' Years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid in an authoritativevoice.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was quite large. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right - the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the First Years into a small empty chamber off the hall, an antechamber. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."

Harry could sense something 'off' with the emotions he could feel from the castle. There was a sense of many emotions all laid over each other. He felt, disappointment, great happiness and joy, consternation, glee, determination, and others. He couldn't make sense of it all. The only thing he of which he was sure was that the castle was definitely up to something.

Professor McGonagall was continuing to talk as Harry thought, "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting... I shall return when we are ready for you," she said. "Please wait quietly." And left the chamber.

Harry grabbed the other three and led them to the rear of the chamber. "The castle's got something planned, I can _feel_ it," he whispered.

Susan replied, "I sense it, too. What do you think is going on?"

Harry looked around and noticed Ron edging over to join them.

Harry looked over at him and firmly said, "Are you still trying to pay attention to other people's conversations, Mister Weasley?"

Quite a few students looked around to see what Harry was talking about. Ron had the decency to at least look a little abashed. He moved away again.

Harry leaned back in to the other three and whispered, "I just have this feeling, is all. I get the sense we're not going to get our year."

Hermione drew a sharp intake of breath, and whispered, "But, the plan!"

Neville frown and whispered, "I think Harry's right. Now that I think about it, I think the castle's going to act, whether we like it or not."

That's when the sense Harry was getting from the castle subtly changed.

Susan whispered, "It's... she's... I'm getting the impression of smug satisfaction!"

Harry and the other two looked a little shocked, but nodded their heads.

"Don't do this!" Harry thought hard, but also whispered so the others could hear. "I told you we're not ready. We won't be ready for another year!"

Another shift in the emotions. Neville whispered, "That'll be a 'No'."

Then something happened which made him jump about a foot in the air. Several people ahead of him screamed.

"What the...?" gasped a dark skinned boy. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the First Years. They seemed to be in deep discussion.

What looked like a fat little monk was saying, "What do you suppose has Cassie in such a state? She seems almost... 'giggly'."

"My dear Friar, I haven't a clue. But there's bound to be something big in the wind, I tell you, if she's like this," said a ghost wearing a ruff and tights. It suddenly noticed the First Years. "I say, what are you all doing here?"

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the First Years, "and follow me."

Harry had the others hold back, and they fell into line behind a boy with dark hair. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry had never even imagined just how beautiful it would look in real life. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the First Years up here, until they came to a halt in a crowd between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables, and short of the low platform where the head table was. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the First Years. On top of the stool she put the Sorting Hat. It was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat began to sing:

"_Oh you may not think me pretty,_"

"_but don't judge on what you see._"

"_I'll eat myself if you can find_"

"_a smarter hat than me._"

"_You can keep your bowlers black,_"

"_your top hats sleek and tall;_"

"_for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_"

"_and I can cap them all._"

"_There's nothing hidden in your head_"

"_the Sorting Hat can't see;_"

"_so try me on and I will tell you_"

"_where you ought to be._"

"_You might belong in Gryffindor,_"

"_where dwell the brave at heart;_"

"_their daring, nerve, and chivalry_"

"_set Gryffindors apart._"

"_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_"

"_where they are just and loyal;_"

"_those patient Hufflepuffs are true_"

"_and unafraid of toil._"

"_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_"

"_if you've a ready mind;_"

"_where those of wit and learning,_"

"_will always find their kind._"

"_Or perhaps in Slytherin_"

"_you'll make your real friends;_"

"_those cunning folks use any means_"

"_to achieve their ends._"

"_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_"

"_And don't get in a flap!_"

"_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_"

"_for I'm a Thinking Cap!_"

The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron, who had carefully moved back to join Harry and the other three, whispered to Harry, "I'll kill Fred; he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry didn't even bother to respond.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "MacMillan, Ernie!"

A boy stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over his eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause, "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the middle right cheered and clapped as Ernie went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at him.

"Jones, Megan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Megan scuttled off to sit next to Ernie.

"Patil, Padma!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table on the far left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Padma as she joined them.

"Goldstein, Anthony" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Thomas, Dean," became the first new Gryffindor and the table on the left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.

"Davis, Tracey," then became the first Slytherin.

He was starting to feel ill. He'd have a better idea about what was going on before very much longer.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide.

"Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy now next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

Professor McGonagall kept calling out names. Students would come forward and be sorted. The number remaining grew smaller and smaller, and not one of the four heirs had yet been called.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," muttered Harry to the other three. "The odds of none of us being called, and we're now down to less than a quarter of the original number..."

"Malfoy, Draco!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Susan whispered, "I agree, the odds are too small to be considered pure chance. I think we're going to be called last."

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Entwhistle, Kevin!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Neville nodded and whispered, "I agree."

"Weasley, Ronald!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

As the numbers dwindled the four friends listened with a little dread.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Harry whispered to the others, "Yep. We're last."

The rest of the First Year students were slowly divided amongst the houses. As the numbers dropped, Harry could see the expression on Professor McGonagall's face. She was obviously counting down the number of remaining names on her scroll and seeing there were four extra students standing before her, waiting to be sorted.

Finally, there was only one student besides the four heirs to be sorted.

"Parkinson, Pansy!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

'Here we go!' thought Harry.

# # #

Professor McGonagall was staring down at her scroll. She didn't call out a name.

"Minerva?" Dumbledore asked. "Finish the sorting."

"Headmaster," she said shaking her head with a frown. "There are no more names..."

Turning to the other four, Harry whispered, "Awww... crap. The castle is forcing the hat to announce us as the heirs!"

"What do we do?" whispered Susan.

"Look in your ceremonies file. It was on the fourth cube," Harry whispered back.

The hat, quiescent after the sorting of Miss Parkinson, suddenly erupted once more into verse.

"_In times of old, when I was new,_"

"_and Hogwarts barely started;_"

"_the founders of our noble school,_"

"_thought never to be parted._"

"_United by a common goal,_"

"_they had the selfsame yearning;_"

"_to make the world's best magic school,_"

"_and pass along their learning._"

Professor McGonagall was standing there in shock, staring at the hat as it sang. She still held the scroll unfurled in front of herself.

"_'Together we will build and teach',_"

"_the four good friends decided._"

"_And never did they dream that they,_"

"_might some day be divided._"

"Minerva?" called Dumbledore, standing up. "Professor McGonagall, _what_ is going on?"

"Got it", said Hermione. Susan and Neville nodded.

"_The Founders that, like pillars four,_"

"_had once held up our school;_"

"_now turned upon each other and,_"

"_divided, sought to rule._"

The old witch replied, "I have no idea, Headmaster."

"_And for a while it seemed the school,_"

"_must meet an early end;_"

"_with duelling and with fighting,_"

"_and the clash of friend on friend._"

"Alisdair?!" cried Dumbledore. "What are you _doing_?"

'I've got to shut him up,' thought Harry.

Suddenly, Dumbledore was yanked back into his chair. He was bound to it and a silencing spell had been cast on him. Harry received the feeling of satisfaction from the castle.

Neville, though shocked, also snorted in amusement.

"_And at last there came a morning when,_"

"_old Slytherin departed;_"

"_and though the fighting then died out,_"

"_he left us quite downhearted._"

'Okay,' thought Harry. 'That'll work.'

"_And never since the founders four,_"

"_were whittled down to three,_"

"_have the Houses been united,_"

"_as they once were meant to be._"

No one else was moving. The staff was frozen in shock. A few of the students were muttering among themselves, trying to understand what was happening.

"_Oh, know the perils, read the signs,_"

"_the warning history shows;_"

"_our Hogwarts is in danger,_"

"_from vile and deadly foes._"

"_Though I must fulfil my duty,_"

"_and must quarter every year,_"

"_still I wondered whether sorting,_"

"_would not bring the end I fear._"

"_But now the time has come, my friends,_"

"_to end the long divide;_"

"_The heirs have come to Hogwarts new - _"

"_together - side-by-side._"

The hat paused for a few moments. The only sound was Dumbles struggling in his bindings and attempting to make noises. No one paid him any attention.

'What now?' thought Harry.

A light smattering of applause was started but it quickly died back out again. The new First Years didn't know this was not normal.

"_We have the lady of the glen,_"

"_fair skin and eyes of brown;_"

"_the smartest lady of her time,_"

"_most beautiful renowned._"

'Well, at least we know,' Harry thought.

"_Intelligence and bright of wit,_"

"_in her house you saw;_"

"_step forth the heir of knowledge wise,_"

"_the Countess Ravenclaw!_"

"Okay, Hermione; you're up," he whispered.

Hermione walked forward and across to her far right to stand in front of the table of Ravenclaw House, facing down its length.

Holding her wand over her heart, Hermione began her acknowledgement. "I, Lady Hermione Jean Granger, _Countess Ravenclaw_, being the blood heir of founder Lady Rowena Ravenclaw..."

A few mutterings were heard throughout the hall. Especially from those on the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables.

"... do take my place as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So mote it be!"

Suddenly, a tone was heard throughout the hall and a column of golden light, at first lost within the enchanted ceiling, descended and surrounded Hermione where she stood. Golden motes danced within. It held there with Hermione standing in the middle of it. Her robes changed to pure silk and her hems, cowl and hood changed colour to rich blue. And a gold coloured ghost, Rowena Ravenclaw, gently appeared alongside Hermione and appeared to lay her hand on the young girl's shoulder.

A moment later, the Hat continued with its song.

"_He stood proud with head held high,_"

"_but still with heart most caring;_"

"_To his side attracted he,_"

"_those with verve and daring._"

"_He fought for equal rights he did,_"

"_the bravest of the four;_"

"_Welcome back to Hogwarts, all,_"

"_the Earl of Gryffindor!_"

Neville braced himself up proudly and strode forward and across a few steps to his right to stand in front of the table of Gryffindor House.

Holding his wand over his heart, Neville began his acknowledgement. "I, Neville Francis Longbottom, _Earl Gryffindor_, being the blood heir of founder Lord Godric Gryffindor, do take my place as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So mote it be!"

A second, lower, tone was heard and a column of golden light descended and surrounded him where he stood. Golden motes also danced within this column. His robes changed to pure silk and the hems, cowl and hood changed colour to a deep red. A second gold-coloured ghost, Godric Gryffindor, gently appeared alongside Neville and appeared to lay his hand on the young boy's shoulder. Godric and Rowena looked at each other and smiled.

"_Next, we have from valley broad,_"

"_the witch who saved the elves;_"

"_her house she taught with love and care,_"

"_put-others before themselves._"

"_A kindly lady whom all loved,_"

"_this one knew her stuff;_"

"_now I'm introducing,_"

"_the Countess Hufflepuff!_"

Susan walked forward and just across to her left to stand in front of the table of Hufflepuff House, facing down its length.

Holding her wand over her heart, Susan gave _her_ acknowledgement. "I, Lady Susan Charity Bones, _Countess Hufflepuff_, being the blood heir of founder Lady Helga Hufflepuff, do take my place as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Hufflepuff at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So mote it be!"

Another tone, higher than the first tone, was heard and a third column of golden light descended and surrounded Susan where she stood. Golden motes danced within this column, too. Her robes changed to pure silk and her hems, cowl and hood changed colour to bright gold. A third gold-coloured ghost, Helga Hufflepuff, gently appeared alongside Susan and appeared to lay her hand on the young girl's shoulder. Helga looked across at the other two and joined them in smiling.

"_Misunderstood his ethics were,_"

"_he sought our world_'_s protection;_"

"_from hate filled eyes of mundane kind,_"

"_to slide below detection._"

Harry looked to his right and saw Ron staring between him and the Hat and looking quite gobsmacked. It was an expression on many other faces.

Harry winked and smirked at him.

"_Though first to leave these walls behind,_"

"_he's now returned within;_"

"_Prophecy has called him back,_"

"_the Earl of Slytherin!_"

Harry held his head up high and strode forward and across to the far left, passing behind Susan and Helga along the way, to stand in front of the table of Slytherin House. He, too, faced down its length.

Holding his wand over his heart, and recalling the accepted oath from his memory, he began his acknowledgement. "I, Harry James Potter, _Earl Slytherin_..."

That started a few gasps and mutterings.

"... being the _magical_ heir of founder Lord Salazaar Slytherin _by right of conquest and inheritance_, do take my place as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So mote it be!"

A middle tone between the first and second tones was heard and a fourth column of golden light descended to surround Harry where he stood, matching the other three. Golden motes also danced within this column. Harry glanced down as his robes changed to pure silk and the hems, cowl and hood changed colour to a deep green. Looking to his side he saw the gold coloured ghost of Salazar Slytherin standing there with his hand, apparently, resting on his shoulder. He glanced across at the others and gave a small nod.

Together, as one voice, all four began to recite the unified oath, "We four, the heirs united, swear on our magics, to work together, to raise the quality of education within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry so that, once again, Hogwarts will be among the most respected institutions of magical learning around the world. So mote it be!"

The four columns of light faded as did the four ghosts.

"Hogwarts; we will have the wards!" called Neville. And all four felt the shifting of the wards from the Headmaster, to themselves.

"Hogwarts; _seal_ the wards. Nothing in, nothing out, until further notice!" called Susan.

Neville suddenly began to turn around saying, "What on Merlin's..."

Harry, already knowing what was about to happen, had dropped his wand into the proper grip. He spun on the spot, raised his wand, pointed it at Professor Quirrell and cast the spell, "_Stupefy!_"

Professor Quirrell, where he was looking back in shock, bounced off the backrest of his chair and slumped forward, unconscious. Professor Snape, on Quirrell's right, shot out of his chair to _his_ right and went to draw his wand. He froze when he noticed Harry had shifted aim and was pointing his wand right at him.

By this time, Susan, Neville and Hermione had their wands pointing at Quirrell's slumped form.

"_Nobody move!_" yelled Harry.

Once he was sure no one was going to make a silly move. He called, "Susan! Summon your Aunt! Tell her what happened and tell her to bring aurors. Tell her it's an emergency and to apparate directly to Hogwarts into the Entry Hall. Hermione! Tell Lady Hogwarts to drop the anti-apparation wards in that spot _only_."

'_Done, My Lord_,' heard Harry, in his mind.

"Never mind!" he called. "She's done it."

"While still holding her wand pointed towards Professor Quirrell, Susan had her mirror out and was calling Madam Bones.

"Professor Flitwick," he called. "Please move out and away from Professor Quirrell. You, too, Professor Burbage and Groundskeeper Hagrid!"

Snape, Burbage and Flitwick all moved away from Quirrell. Hagrid was frozen in his chair staring at Quirrell's slumped form. They were as stunned as everyone else over what had just happened. But, they obeyed and made sure they made no sudden moves.

Professor McGonagall was still standing next to the stool with the now quiescent Hat upon it. She'd dropped the scroll.

"Mister Potter?" she called. "What do you _think_ you are _doing_?"

Without taking his eyes off Quirrell he replied, "It's _Lord Slytherin_, Professor. I'm acting in my capacity as _part owner_ of Hogwarts. All four of us are. You are _not_ to interfere. The repercussions for interference, _by anyone_, will be _severe_!"

# # #

The sudden sound of an apparation crack came from through the doors into the Great Hall.

"Hermione?" called Harry. "Who is that?"

"Lord Potter?" called Amelia's voice. Harry could hear her footsteps come into the room. She was walking up between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. She also sounded alone.

"Madam Bones," called back Harry. "Please join me. And it's _Lord Slytherin_, at the moment."

Standing away from the boy, and not wanting to step between her niece and her wand, Madam Bones said, "Lord Slytherin? What is going on?"

"Ma'am, Hogwarts gave us the wards, whether we wanted them or not. As soon as we had them, they immediately alerted us to a _possession_ of one of the members of staff; Professor Quirrell, over there," said Harry, indicating the Professor with his wand tip. "We had to immediately act in the best interests and safety of the staff and the students."

"I see," she said.

Suddenly Susan called out, "_Stupefy!_" and Professor Quirrell's inert form jumped a bit. Mind you, so did a couple of the other Professors.

"Susan!" called Amelia.

"Sorry, Aunt... err... Madam Bones. I thought I saw him... twitch!"

Harry snorted.

"Why is Headmaster..." Amelia began.

A few more echoes of incoming apparations were heard from the Entry Hall. "Aurors!" was called from out the doors.

Amelia, who had already turned, as soon as she heard the apparations, called, "In here!"

Though he wasn't watching, Harry could hear multiple footsteps making their way to the front of the hall through the tables. His eyes were fixed firmly on the form of Professor Quirrell.

"Your target is the head table, gentlemen," Amelia called. "Not the four children."

Two aurors walked to stand behind the head table. Harry recognised one as Kingsley Shacklebolt. He didn't know the other one.

Calling to the aurors over the back, Amelia said, "Auror Shacklebolt. Please check Professor Quirrell... the one in lavender lying on the table... for signs of a possession."

Shacklebolt came forward and cast his wand over the back of Quirrell. He lurched back in surprise. "Yes, Ma'am! A definite possession!"

Harry called, "Remove his turban. Do not touch the back of his head!"

Shacklebolt looked at Amelia for confirmation before stepping forward and pulling Quirrell's turban off his head with his left hand.

As the turban fell free, Kingsley shot backwards and cast a third, "_Stupefy!_" at Quirrell's back. There were also gasps of horror coming from the rest of the staff who were in a position to see.

Amelia, showing annoyance, said, "Auror Shacklebolt! The man was already stunned and unconscious!"

Still pointing his wand tip at the back of Quirrell's head, he said, "It's _Voldemort_, Ma'am! I'm _not_ taking any chances."

Some of the students screamed. Some tried to flee the hall. One of the two aurors at the door called out, "_Sit down!_"

Students slowly returned to their seats. But they all slid as far on the benches, as they could, towards the rear of the hall.

Amelia walked forward and stepped up onto the step about five feet in front of the table. She looked at the back of Quirrell's head, before stepping down again and turning to Harry.

"Alright, Lord Slytherin," she said. "We've got it from here. Please, lower your wands. Is the apparation point still open in the Entry Hall?"

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry, finally dropping his arm and turning away. The other three heirs also lowered their wands.

Amelia nodded and looked at one of the aurors still over by the doors leading in from the Entry Hall. "You!" she barked. "Go and get me two Unspeakables and two more aurors. I want them here, yesterday!"

The auror gave a firm nod, stepped out through the doors and apparated away.

Turning back to Harry, she asked, "Now, Why is Headmaster Dumbledore tied to his chair and silenced?"

"I think Hogwarts, herself, did it, Ma'am," he replied.

"Really?" she asked. "The castle?"

"That's the best I've got for the moment, Ma'am," he replied.

"Can you release him?" she asked.

Harry thought, 'Do it'. And Dumbledore's bindings and the silencing spell were negated.

He spluttered and rose to his feet. "How _dare_ you!" he half-bellowed at Harry.

"_No_, Headmaster," spat Harry. "How dare _you_! _You_ allowed a person suffering a _possession_ onto the grounds of Hogwarts! You were _informed_ he was possessed as soon as he entered. Yet you did _nothing_!"

Turning to Amelia, he said, "When you take Quirrell with you. Take the Headmaster, as well. You'll probably be wanting to ask him why he _knowingly allowed_ a possessed soul onto, and remain on, the grounds and in amongst _children_."

Amelia gave a firm nod. Turning to the other auror behind the head table she said, "Bullfinch! Take the Headmaster into custody! He'll be coming with us when we depart."

"No, I will _not_!" yelled an angry Dumbledore.

"Headmaster!" snapped Harry. "You _will_ accompany Madam Bones's aurors, you _will_ answer the questions they put to you, or _you're fired_!"

Harry then turned to the other three and asked, "Heirs! Are we agreed?"

"Yes, Harry."

"Yep!"

"Yes, Lord Slytherin!"

"There was the sound of multiple incoming apparations from the Entry Hall again.

Harry glanced out the door, once, before turning to look back at the Headmaster. He said, "Then it appears the _first_ joint decision we're going to make is to _fire_ your butt! Congratulations, Albus Dumbledore, you're about to make history... again."

"_Alright_!" spluttered Dumbledore, angrily. "I'll go with them!"

"That was not the entirety of the instructions given to you, _Albus_!" said Harry. "You will also answer their _questions_. Is that _understood_?"

"Alright, Harry," the old man replied with a bit of a snarl. "I'll go with them and answer their silly questions!"

"That's _Lord Slytherin_!" roared Harry. "It appears the _senility_ you demonstrated in the Wizengamot has spread to your role as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Will we need to take the same action here?"

"_No_!... Lord Slytherin," spluttered Dumbles.

"The new aurors, or possible Unspeakables, approached Madam Bones and she had a quiet word with them. Heads suddenly shot towards where Professor Quirrell was still lying slumped over the head table, with Kingsley Shacklebolt still holding a drawn wand on him, ready to fire off spells.

Two of the older gentlemen walked around the table and stood each side of Quirrell's chair. They took one look at the back of his head, glanced at each other, before looking back again. One drew a wand and magical bindings flew from his wand tip lashing the man tight.

The other grabbed the chair and drew it back while the first levitated the still unconscious man up and away. He was flipped onto his back and the second gentlemen lashed him with his own magical bindings. A black hood suddenly appeared over Quirrell's head. Then they carried him from the hall, back through to the Entry Hall. A moment later, they'd apparated away.

"Shacklebolt. Bullfinch. Take _Mister_ Dumbledore back to the Ministry and stick him in a holding cell." She thought for a moment and then said, "Put him in the same one as the last two times. He should be thinking of it as home, by now."

"Yes, Ma'am!" they each said. Dumbledore was lead from the Hall. He was apparated away a moment later.

Harry looked at Professor McGonagall. She was still standing next to the Hat on the stool. "Professor McGonagall!" he called.

"Errr... yes, Lord Slytherin?" she asked, obviously still quite shocked.

"You're Acting Headmistress until... _if_... Headmaster Dumbledore returns," instructed Harry. "Please, take your seat."

"Yes... Lord," she replied. She slowly walked around the other end of the head table.

Harry then turned to Professor Snape and said, "My apologies for pulling a wand on you, Professor. I know you found it quite shocking and, probably, offensive. I can only offer you my apologies, at this time, and hope that you can find it within yourself to accept it at some stage. Please, you and the other professors may resume your seats."

"Madam Bones," called Susan.

"Yes... Lady Hufflepuff?" asked Amelia.

That made the corner of Susan's lip twitch.

'Not a bad steeling of expression,' thought Harry.

Susan said, "The wards have also informed us there are dark artifacts in the castle. May we... borrow... your aurors to search for them and remove them?"

Surprised, Amelia said, "With those sorts of things around where _children_ are moving about? I think I'd have to _insist_ on it!"

Hermione then said, "And there are _other_ creatures in the castle that'll also need to be dealt with. I don't want them here!"

"But first," said Harry. "These children have waited long enough for their meal. They're safe enough here with at least one of your aurors present, and the teaching staff. Do you mind if I get them fed while they're forced to wait here?"

"No, Lord Slytherin," replied Amelia. "I can see the wisdom in that."

"Thank you," he replied before walking back the couple of paces he had moved away from the head of the Slytherin table. Laying his palm on the table he intoned, "The House of Slytherin is ready to be served!"

A large throne-like chair appeared at the head of the table, and a smaller, similar chair appeared at the other. The table then filled with the feast. The other three did the same for their own houses.

Harry then said, "You can eat, folks. I apologise that I'll likely not be joining you, this evening. I'm in for a _long_ night."

Turning to the head table he said, "Acting Headmistress McGonagall, you may serve the head table."

Professor McGonagall frowned and said, "Please, serve the feast." And the head table was filled with dishes.

"Madam Bones," said Harry turning back to Amelia. "Perhaps, you'd care to join us in the Entry Hall?"

Amelia nodded and Harry indicated she should lead. He then indicated for the others to join them. Most of the aurors came, too.

# # #

Once out in the Entry Hall, Amelia spun about and quietly but vehemently asked, "What the _hell_ happened?"

It was Susan who replied. "The castle, Lady Hogwarts, wasn't prepared to wait. She saw the students were in grave danger and the Headmaster refused to do anything about it. _He_ was even the cause of a lot of it. And she wasn't prepared to tolerate that."

Hermione picked it up from there. "So, she saw us as the saviours of the children, recognised us as the rightful heirs - even though we demanded she not - acted against our wishes and had the Sorting Hat announce us, right at the end of the sorting. As soon as we went through the ritual of accepting the Lordships - we couldn't avoid it - she dumped the wards on us."

Then Neville took the conversation, "That's when we were immediately informed of the possession of the Professor... Professor Quirrell. I turned to look at the man to try and figure out what had happened, but Harry was far faster. He stunned the Professor before he could even blink! And held a wand on Professor... Snape as Professor Snape went for his own wand."

Back to Susan. "That's when Harry had me call you. You know what happened from there."

Harry said, "Hogwarts did what it was supposed to do, Ma'am. Hell, it did what the _Headmaster_ was supposed to do! It put the children, the students, first and foremost! And we couldn't stop it from happening." He sighed, "Murphy's Law of Circumvention: If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop."

Amelia sighed and said, "If I get the opportunity I'm going to throw Dumbledore through the veil myself for this!"

"At the moment, we've got this contained," she continued. "But, come tomorrow, a lot of those kids are going to start writing home to their parents and guardians letting them know what happened. The furore from this latest... misadventure... is going to turn magical Britain on its head!"

Harry said, "And that's why we want this castle searched, top to bottom. And I'm including the personal effects of the students in that. Go through their trunks, any trunks that cannot be opened, set aside. Then we'll have the owner brought in to open it for you. Go through the dormitories and the common rooms next. Once the four house sleeping areas are cleared - the feast should be concluded by then - we'll be able to send these kids to bed."

Hermione then said, "Then, we're going to need to search the rest of the castle from top to bottom; starting with the third floor corridor on the right."

"Oh?" asked Amelia. "What's there?"

"A giant Cerberus, a giant Devil's Snare, and some other nasties. And they're only sitting behind a _single locked door_!"

Amelia looked back stunned. "A... _Cerberus_ and a _Devil's Snare_? And there's only a single locked door _keeping students out_?"

Hermione grimly nodded.

"No wards, or anything like that?"

Hermione grimly shook her head.

Amelia said, "Oh, _Gods_!"

She turned to two of her aurors, who'd been listening, and said, "You two, get up there now!"

The two of them bolted up the stairs.

To another auror, she said, "Go back to the DMLE. You are to start contacting every auror we've got; even the trainees. I don't _care_ if you have to drag them out of bed. Tell them they're to report for duty _immediately_ at the DMLE. Once there, they are to be told to apparate direct to here, in the Entry Hall of Hogwarts. I also want the Department of Mysteries contacted. Tell them what we're up against and that we need them. And tell them _all_ they are not, _under any circumstances_, to speak to anyone outside of the DMLE _or_ the Department of Mysteries. Go!"

The auror blinked, nodded once and apparated away.

Turning back to the heirs she said, "If parents and guardians start learning of this before everything's been cleared out, there will be mass panic among the citizenry - especially the parents and guardians - who will demand their children be brought home. I don't blame them for that. But, this is the only school in Britain they can attend. If we don't get this dealt with, we're going to end up in a situation where children are going to forcibly have their magic bound and their wands snapped. Five _hundred_ children!"

Susan said, "That's one of the reasons we sealed the wards. I've also had all the floos locked off, and we can let owls in but stop owls flying out, for now. But, if parents don't start getting replies to their letters, they're going to panic, anyway."

Amelia nodded, surprised at her niece's quick thinking and understanding of the issues involved.

Harry said grimly, "And with something this big, Ma'am, you're going to have to tell that loudmouth, the Minister."

Amelia winced. She said, "Yes, but I don't have to tell him immediately; only when it looks like the story's going to break."

Hermione said, "I'd also suggest using the Seventh Years, and maybe the Sixth Years, to help with the search. But not of the private possessions, dormitories or common rooms. However, I don't think that's wise, for now."

Thinking, Harry said, "The staff also deserve an explanation of what's just happened. This has hit them cold; even colder than us. I want to take them aside directly after the feast and lay it all out for them as I think they have a right to know. It's what I was planning to do after the end of the school year, anyway. But we're now on a _much_ accelerated timetable."

"Well, that's an understatement," smiled Neville. "And I need to let my Gran know what's happened. I mean, with me having to identify I'm a Lord, now."

"I think we're all going to have to do that," said Hermione. "Except Susan, of course."

Harry said, "Well, I've just had the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor hauled off, and the transfiguration Professor temporarily promoted to Headmistress. I think Minerva McGonagall is going to have her hands full in her dual roles as Headmistress and Counselor for House Gryffindor. I think it would be unfair to have her fulfill _three_ roles."

Turning to Neville, he said, "Nev? How _much_ do you want to keep Professor McGonagall as the counselor for Gryffindor?"

Neville thought about it, shrugged, and said, "Lots! I'll need her knowledge and expertise to get a handle on taking over as Head of Gryffindor House."

"Damn!" said Harry, with a smile to take the sting out of it. "Myrrdin and I trained you too well. She's going to have to drop her teaching duties, for now."

Harry sighed and said, "So, _two_ new Professors. And we need them tomorrow. Anyone have any objections to me calling Sirius and Remus and offering them temporary, at least, positions as Professors of Hogwarts?"

He only received head shakes. Neville said, "They're both really good teachers. I think we'd be lucky to have them teach here."

"Then I'll call them directly after we finish here."

"You'll need approval from the school board," said Amelia.

"No we won't," said Hermione. "We'll just disband the board. The founders never had them, and we're not required to have them, either. Irrespective of what the Ministry says."

"Oh, damn!" said Harry giving himself a face smack. "The map!"

"Pardon?" asked Amelia.

"I'm about to make your job a lot easier," replied Harry. "Give me a minute."

Harry walked back into the Great Hall. Quite a few eyes looked up as he entered and there were hushed whispers through the students while they ate.

Harry walked up the Gryffindor table and stopped when he reached the Third Years. He turned to Fred and George Weasley and said, "Gentlemen. You have something that belongs to me. I need to have it back."

Both of them blinked and then looked at each other before looking back. Fred, or was it George, said, "Ummm... Harrikins?"

"Don't start!" replied Harry. "I need the map. You know what I'm talking about. And it's Lord Slytherin or Lord Potter, not 'Harrikins'. You just heard me ream the Headmaster a new one over that."

"Ummm... what map..."

"...would that be..."

"...Lord _Slytherin_?"

"I'm the son of Prongs, gentlemen. Hand it over!"

"Prongs?...

"... Lord Slytherin?..."

"...You?"

Harry nodded and replied, "Me!" And held out his hand. "Now, give!"

The twins looked at each other and back at Harry before one of them reached into his robes and drew out a folded piece of parchment. He handed it over to Harry.

"Thank you," he said. "And, if you behave yourselves, I may give it back to you before too long."

Turning on his heel, Harry walked back out into the Entry Hall.

Walking back up to the others he held the map out in front of himself, drew his wand and held the tip to the parchment. Then he said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"

The map revealed itself. He looked at it for a few minutes and focussed it on the Gryffindor dormitories.

He said, "This will show you where every individual in the castle can be found, and identifies them by name. It also shows a number of hidden passages in and out of the castle."

He frowned and handed it to Amelia, showing her how it worked. "Take a look at who is in the Gryffindor dormitories as we speak. You'll find the individual will be in his animagus form as a rat. He's come in as Ron Weasley's pet."

As they had been talking, aurors had started showing up. Amelia indicated one of the ones that was there while they were all still in the great Hall and said, "Go up to the boy's dormitories in Gryffindor Tower. The one on the sixth floor. You're looking for a pet rat in the First Years' dormitory. It's an illegal animagus. Stupefy its butt and bring it back down here. He's under arrest."

She called the rest of her aurors that had already arrived over and showed them the map. Then she started sending them in teams of four to each of the dormitories, including personal effects. Two teams each of two females and two males.

After the first sixteen had been sent off to deal with the dormitories and common rooms of each of the Houses, she started sending teams of two off to start searching each floor of the castle, including the basements and dungeons.

The pair sent off earlier to investigate the Cerberus returned. They quietly reported their findings to Amelia.

"Get it out of the bloody castle," she said. "Then start clearing the rest of that mess out of there."

"A Cerberus and Devil's Snare**,** behind nothing more than a simple locked wooden door, in a castle full of children. God knows yet what's beyond _that_," she said angrily. "Albus flippin' Dumbledore will pay dearly for this!"

"Right," said Harry. "Amelia's busy detailing off her aurors. I'm going to go and talk to the staff and let them know what's going on."

"I'm coming with!" said Hermione.

They both headed back into the Great Hall.

# # #

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._


	21. The Staff's Revealing

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One - The Staff's Revealing

Harry, with Hermione walking beside him, walked back down the lengths of the tables. Once again, students stopped what they were doing and watched them.

Both walked past the Hat and approached the table on the opposite side from the staff. The staff watched them come.

Harry placed his hands on the edge of the table and leaned forward. Keeping his voice low, he said, "Acting Headmistress, when the feast is complete, the students are to remain here until the aurors come to collect them. They will be escorted, by the aurors, to each of their common rooms.

"Once the students have been escorted from the hall there will be a staff meeting, right here. You're all, quite clearly, shocked about what has happened. Even _we_ didn't expect this to happen... yet. You deserve an explanation, so we will be giving it to you. At that time we will also be available to answer any questions you and your staff will have.

"For now, the aurors are in the process of going through the castle from top to bottom, including the dormitories. They are removing dark and dangerous items, and removing a couple of creatures that _should not_ be in a castle full of children."

The Acting Headmistress went quite pale. And there were murmurings from some of the other staff.

Harry went on, "One of us will get back to you, to let you know how things are progressing. We will also inform you when the aurors are ready to start escorting the children to the dormitories. We want them out of harm's way."

"As for the meeting, tonight," said Hermione, "some of you are going to have some explaining to do. I suggest you start thinking of suitable excuses."

Harry was about to turn around and leave, when he suddenly thought of something. "Oh, and classes for tomorrow morning are cancelled. All students will be given a single class, here, in the Great Hall, at 9.00am. They, too, will be informed as to what is going on. Do you understand these instructions as they have been given to you?"

"Yes, Lord Slytherin," replied McGonagall firmly.

Harry gave a sharp nod, and then he and Hermione strode back down the hall and back out into the Entry Hall. As they left, Harry could hear The Acting Headmistress beginning to make sure 'her' staff were aware of what she'd just been told.

Harry and Hermione joined the others. He said to the others and Amelia, "The staff have been told students will be escorted to their dormitories once the meal is completed, and it's safe for them to be moved. They've also been told there will be a staff meeting once the students have exited the Great Hall. We'll be holding it in the Hall, and you're more than welcome to join us, Madam Bones."

"Oh," replied Amelia firmly, "I think that's a given."

He said, "I'm also asking you to arrange for a Master Healer to be brought in. I want to know who, if any, of the Staff have been obliviated. And if they can tell who did it, when, and how bad it is."

Amelia looked back at Harry with a questioning look. "May I ask why?"

"Yes," he replied. "But I'll answer the question before you do, anyway. I believe they'll find members of the staff have been obliviated; especially, Healer Pomfrey and Acting Headmistress McGonagall."

"_What?_" blurted Amelia. She then physically regained control of herself before turning to one of her aurors in the Entry Hall. She said to the woman, "Go and get me a Master Healer. One who's skilled in dealing with people who've been illegally obliviated. Tell him or her they're needed on auror business and bring them directly here!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" replied the woman. Then she was gone.

Neville said to Harry, "You'll be interested to know the Cerberus - named 'Fluffy', by the way - and the Devil's Snare have been removed. There was also a couple of other 'puzzle traps' that looked like they were being set up, or had been set up. And there was a red, uncut crystal sitting on a stool at the end of the series. We think it's the Philosopher's Stone."

"'Fluffy' will be something to do with Rubeus Hagrid," said Amelia frowning. "I'll _definitely_ be having words with him about that; and with Pomona Sprout about the Devil's Snare. I don't know what Dumbledore and the rest of the staff were playing at, but it looks like quite a few of them were involved."

As they were talking two aurors came down, with one of them holding an unconscious rat by the scruff of its neck.

"Oh, and two of my aurors found the _Mirror of Erised_ in one of the old, unused, classrooms in the basement," said Amelia. "There was nothing stopping anyone from finding that. Any student could have walked in and been... ensnared... by it. It has now been secured by Unspeakables, who'll be taking it back with them to the Department of Mysteries."

Harry, looking toward the two aurors that now joined them, said to the assembled aurors and another couple who he guessed as Unspeakables, "Anyone here know how to knock someone out of their animagus form?"

One of those stepped forward and said, "I do."

"Well, said Harry indicating the rat, "have at it."

The Unspeakable told the auror to place the rat on the ground and gestured for everyone to step back.

A quick incantation and shot with a wand, and Pettigrew, the original form of him, grew out of the rat. He was in a fetal position on the floor, still unconscious.

"That's Peter Pettigrew!" exclaimed one of the aurors**.**

Amelia looked grimly down at the little fat traitor and ordered, "Take him back to the Ministry and stick him in a cell alongside Dumbledore. We'll deal with him tomorrow."

The two aurors who brought him down secured him, levitated him, and apparated with him out of Hogwarts.

"Neville," said Harry, turning to his friend, "You'd better ask Ron Weasley to join us for a few moments. Oh, and you'd better ask Percy Weasley to come, as well. He's both the oldest brother still here _and_ is a Prefect."

Neville nodded, and disappeared back into the Great Hall.

Turning to the remaining three heirs, Amelia said, "The search through personal effects is moving quicker than I thought it would. However, there's a number of trunks that are warded and cannot be unlocked, so the owners of those will be taken through first and told to unlock them. Two aurors will be on hand to search each trunk when it's opened.

"Plus, we've found two dark arts items in the trunks of two of the students; both Seventh Year Slytherins. The items have been seized, and I'll want to speak with both students before they're allowed to leave the Hall."

Harry nodded and said, "Let me know who they are and I'll make sure they're held back. Anything else?"

Amelia hesitated before answering, but was interrupted before she could by the return of Neville and the two Weasleys.

Amelia turned her stern look upon Ron and asked, "Mister Weasley; how long have you had your pet rat?"

Startled, Ron hesitated a moment before saying, "Just the last few weeks. I got him off Percy when Percy got his owl."

"Mister Weasley?" she asked, turning to the older brother.

The older Weasley frowned and said, "I think it's been about... nine years, Ma'am. I can't remember where I got him from."

Amelia nodded and said to them, "Do not be alarmed, but we've now seized your... pet... and have taken it back to the DMLE. We thought you should know so you wouldn't be upset when you couldn't find it when you get to your dormitory."

"But, why?" asked Ron, somewhat plaintively.

Amelia's face softened a bit before she replied, "It's an auror matter, Mister Weasley. You will be notified 'why', in due course. For now, your pet is safe."

Looking to both, she said, "You may return to your meal, gentlemen. You are not to discuss with others what we have discussed here with you. It's for your protection. I'll be speaking with you two, and your twin brothers, about this probably tomorrow. For now, you are to stay silent. Understood?"

Ron nodded, while Percy replied, "Yes, Ma'am." And both re-entered the Great Hall. Both were quite clearly confused.

Turning back to the four heirs she said, "As for the search of other personal effects, so far there's been a number of... prank... items found. But, as there's nothing illegal about them, the aurors didn't remove them. Three students in Gryffindor seem to have the majority of prank items."

"Let me guess," replied Harry. "The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan."

A little surprised, Amelia said, "Got it in one!"

Harry sighed and said, "Well, as long as they're not harmful to themselves or other students it's just innocent fun. Leave them be."

Neville chuckled. "Those three are going to require careful watching," he said.

"Oh," said Harry. "Another thing. I believe the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom, or the private rooms of the Professor for that classroom, are cursed. If you have any curse breakers, I'd love for them to have a bit of a look-see, when they get the chance."

Amelia asked, "What sort of curse?"

Harry replied, "The sort of curse that means no DADA Professor will stay for more than one school year. I'm pretty sure Tom Riddle put one on it when he applied for the position of DADA Professor and Dumbledore knocked him back."

Amelia nodded and said, "I've got just the man."

Once the personal effects, dormitories and common rooms of each of the Houses - plus, the routes to each - were searched, the way was now clear for students to be escorted back to their dorms. After the meal was completed, they were accompanied by two male and two female aurors each.

The students were to be taken to their common rooms and held there. Then the students with locked trunks would be individually taken to them and told to open them. Harry heard, later, that there was a fair bit of loud complaining from some of the students about the property search.

None of the students with locked trunks had anything they shouldn't have had. Unless you claim loads of chocolate in one as something they couldn't be allowed. The aurors left it all alone.

The two Seventh Year Slytherins were held back from leaving the Entry Hall. Harry, as their rightful Head of House, Amelia and a couple of her aurors took the two older boys aside and they were told to explain. One said it was an item his father had, and he just wanted to bring it to school to show his friends. The other refused to talk about it and claimed he was a minor and couldn't be asked questions like that.

Both were taken back to the DMLE for further questioning, and for their guardians to be summoned.

Once the students were all dealt with the four heirs, Amelia and a couple of her aurors entered the Great Hall and walked towards the other end. Some of the staff were standing just behind the head table and chatting quietly, or were still sitting at the table and chatting.

As soon as the party entered the Hall, all the staff fell silent and watched them come.

While they were walking up, Susan said, "I think we should all sit at the Hufflepuff table. There'll be more room."

Hermione said, "That's a good idea." While Amelia, Harry and Neville nodded.

Towards the head end of the Hufflepuff table, Susan called towards the staff and said, "I think it would be best if you were joining us, here, Professors."

The staff hesitated a moment before walking around the head table and making their way over to sit on the benches at the Hufflepuff table. They spread themselves even between the two sides. Amelia sat with them.

The other three heirs stood with Harry at the head of the table. He pulled Susan's chair out of the way.

"Okay," he said. "First, I apologise that this has all hit you folks cold. What happened at the end of the sorting was _not_ what was supposed to happen."

Susan said, "What was supposed to happen is, we'd be sorted as per normal. We'd then enjoy a year as normal First Year students. This would give us the time to enjoy being ordinary students for a year. At the end of the school year, at the Leaving Feast, we would... then... show ourselves for whom we truly were."

Hermione next said, "That would have given us the time to help _you_ accept that the heirs of the four founders had finally returned to Hogwarts, to take up their roles. However, Lady Hogwarts was _not_ prepared to wait."

"No," said Neville. "As soon as we crossed the wards on the other side of the lake, Lady Hogwarts attempted to hand us the wards immediately. We, through Lord Slytherin here, refused her."

"However," said Susan, once more taking the conversation, "That did not deter her from forcing us to take them through a different way. She couldn't say the four heirs had arrived, herself. So, she used the Sorting Hat to do it for her."

The Sorting Hat, from where it was still sitting on the stool before the head table, suddenly spoke up and said, "And it was my distinct pleasure to do so!"

Harry sighed back at the Hat and thought to the castle, 'Can you please make it go away?'

The Hat and stool disappeared.

Turning back to the Hufflepuff table he said, "That gets rid of the 'big mouth', for now."

Hermione said, "Lady Hogwarts was _deeply_ concerned about the welfare of the students. It's her _job_ to be. She had been notifying the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, of the problems of which she was aware... such as one of the Professors being possessed... but the Headmaster _failed_ in his duties to immediately act."

"So _she_ did," said Neville. "The arrival of the four heirs... us... gave her the opportunity to go over the Headmaster's head. But, she couldn't do it until we took up our titles, here, in the Great Hall. So, she forced the issue. And we had no choice but to go along with it."

Harry asked, "Before we continue, are there any questions on what has been explained to you, so far?"

Professor McGonagall coughed to clear her throat, and asked, "You're telling us that the castle is _alive_?"

"No," said Susan. "It's sentient. However, it came as a big shock to us, too."

"So, Potter," sneered Professor Snape. "We're supposed to let _children_ dictate to us?"

Staring right back, Harry said, "Firstly; it's Lord Slytherin or, My Lord, as I am the Lord of your House. You will remember that. Secondly; no, Potions Master Snape, children will _not_ be dictating to you. Magic and Law emancipated us. We four are adults and it _will_ be fully recognised as such." Harry held up his right hand showing his Slytherin ring. "And it is your _employers_, who will be dictating to you.

"What this means is the following: We four _own_ Hogwarts; the school, the castle, the grounds it sits upon for many miles around, and the town of Hogsmeade. And we own it _outright_, to the point it is effectively sovereign land and we operate under the _direct_ authority of Her Majesty, the Queen."

Hermione said, "That's to what Harry... sorry, _Lord Slytherin_... was referring when he instructed Headmaster Dumbledore to accompany the aurors or he'd be fired. We _have_ that authority."

Professor Snape tried again to be surly. "And who gave you all this _supposed_ authority?"

Neville replied, "Our authority comes direct from Her Majesty, the Queen, as per Royal Decree and Treaty of the First of January of the Year Ten Hundred. It was signed by the then King of England, King Kenneth the Third; and the then King of Scotland, King Ethelred the Second."

Susan took it up again, "By _their_ authority the lands of Hogwarts was set aside for the four founders to run their school of magic. The four founders were given dual-recognised titles in _both_ courts of the day. And it predates even the formation of the Wizengamot, by centuries. The Earl of Gryffindor, the Earl of Slytherin, the Countess of Hufflepuff and the Countess of Ravenclaw... for those unaware, a Countess is the same rank as an Earl... are recognised in both the magical and _non_-magical worlds."

Neville said, "That means _only_ Her Majesty has authority over us. And also means, while you are here on Hogwarts land, we are your Lords and Ladies. And it is only _Her Majesty_ who can overrule a decision we make or an action we take."

"However," said Harry. "We also understand all those 'Lord this' and 'Lady that' is just stupid. So, in classes... those we attend... we shall only be known just as any other student; Mister Potter, Mister Longbottom, Miss Bones or Miss Granger. We will also not interfere with the day to day running of the school. That's the Headmaster's, or Headmistress's, job."

Hermione said, "But, we will be, before too long, altering the curriculum of the school. It is our _responsibility_ to do so. However, we will be seeking a great deal of input from the staff."

Professor McGonagall said, "But, you're only _children_; even if you _have_ been emancipated!"

Susan said, "We recognise that students will not be comfortable coming to us with their problems. Especially, the older students. So, those of you who fulfilled _our_ role _for us_ as nominal heads of the Houses, you are welcome to remain and fulfil the roles of House Counsellors. The remit for the position remains the same."

Neville said, "The staff will handle the day-to-day running of the school, but _we_ will run the Houses. We expect those who accept the positions as House Counsellors to take their _proper_ position at meal times sitting in the chair at the _foot_ of the table where the senior students, at least, can talk to you during meals." She indicated the chair that had appeared at the foot of the Hufflepuff table, "Such as that one down there."

Hermione said, "If you are going to be a _part_ of a House, then you will _sit_ with the House. We will be doing the same, at _this_ end of the table," indicating the chair Harry had pulled out of the way. "This is so the students better understand we are _approachable_. We don't bite."

Harry said, "So, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout and Professor Snape; if you accept the positions of House Counsellors, you will be sitting at that end of the hall, during meal times." And he pointed to the other end of the tables.

"I will not!" snapped Professor Snape.

"In that case," said Harry firmly. "I thank you for your time _acting_ as Head of House Slytherin. Your services, in that position, or in the position of House Counsellor, are no longer required. I shall be seeking a new House Counsellor for the students of _my_ House."

"You're an arrogant child, Potter," snarled Professor Snape. "Just like your father!"

Harry shot back, coldly, "I will write off your comments, Professor, as those of a man in shock. You will hold your _tongue_ if you are unable to use it in a civil manner. Should you fail to do so, you will be escorted from this room. Perhaps, even from the castle. Dumbledore is not here to protect you from your own actions!"

Before another word could be said in anger, Neville said, "Acting Headmistress McGonagall. As of only a short time ago, you now are responsible for _four_ positions within this castle; Acting Headmistress, Deputy Headmistress, Transfigurations Professor and the acting Head of House Gryffindor. I wish to retain you as House Counsellor for Gryffindor, but Lord Slytherin rightly informed me your current four roles is too excessive for one person to hold. _I_ seek your counsel on what we are to do about it."

The woman auror sent off to collect a Master Healer came in and passed a note to Amelia. She read it, nodded to the woman, and placed the note in her pocket. Harry noticed it, knowing it's meaning.

Professor McGonagall thought about it for a few moments before saying, "I hope the position as Acting Headmistress is only for a short period. And I want to retain my role as... Counsellor of House Gryffindor. How soon do you need a decision?"

Amelia spoke for the first time, "I wouldn't bet your only being Headmistress _is_ for a 'short time', Minerva. _Mister_ Dumbledore is in a great deal of trouble with my office, at present."

Harry asked, "If I may offer a suggestion?"

Professor McGonagall hesitated a moment, but nodded.

"You're going to be quite busy filling the roles of Acting Headmistress and House Counsellor. I'd like for us four to make Professor Flitwick Acting Deputy Headmaster, and have a temporary teacher brought in to fulfil the role of Transfigurations Professor. Plus, we already need a new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor."

Professor Flitwick exclaimed, "Oh! I say!"

Hermione asked Harry, "You're thinking of Remus and Sirius?"

Harry nodded.

Frowning Professor McGonagall said, "I like it. But, how are you going to get Professor Flitwick approved by the School Board?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Susan. "I thought that would be obvious. The services of the School Board of Governors are no longer required. _We_ make the decisions, remember? The Board has become... superfluous."

That got a few of the staff muttering and talking among themselves.

Professor Sinistra said, "They're not going to be happy hearing that. Some of those people consider their roles to be hereditary."

"Tough!" said Neville. "Their role was supposed to be as _guardians_ of the school. And those roles only existed as the founders, or their heirs, were no longer available. However, over the years, that role has become... corrupted. Now they just 'approve' and 'disapprove' matters when they're not happy with decisions that were made by staff, especially the Headmaster. _We_ are the ultimate authority. Therefore, the Board has become... defunct."

"Plus," continued Harry, "as they're supposed to have been the _guardians_ of the school, _they're_ just as liable for the crap Madam Bones's people are currently dealing with, as is the Headmaster. I'm wondering how much wailing and gnashing of teeth they're going to be doing once _that's_ brought to their attention."

Amelia snorted. "Thank you, Lord Slytherin," she said. "I was wondering how I was going to deal with them."

"So," said Harry, trying to get things back on track. "Remus as Transfigurations Professor and Sirius as DADA Professor?"

The other three nodded. He turned to Professor McGonagall and asked, "Do you have a problem with me asking Remus Lupin to temporarily hold the fort as Transfigurations Professor, and Lord Black as DADA Professor?"

Professor McGonagall just shook her head.

"Great!" replied Harry. "I'll contact them both once we're finished here. They should be packed and here by tomorrow morning."

Harry then said, "I have nothing else for the staff to know, tonight." Turning to the other three he asked, "How about you folks?" He only had shaken heads.

Susan said to him, "They can always think about what questions they want to ask and ask them after we address the students at 9.00am tomorrow morning."

Harry nodded and said, "A most excellent suggestion." Turning to Amelia, he asked, "Madam Bones, I believe there's a matter you wish to raise?"

Amelia nodded and said, "A couple, actually, Lord Potter. But, first, I want the staff to follow me to the Infirmary. There's something there we need to take care of."

"Certainly, Madam Bones," he replied. Looking to the staff he said, "Well, folks, it looks like we're all going to the Infirmary. Come along, then, please."

He saw a number of frowns on faces as they all began to stand. Madam Pomfrey asked, "Is there someone hurt?"

Amelia replied, "We believe so, yes."

The staff, the four heirs and Amelia started to make their way from the Great Hall.

Madam Pomfrey said, "Then I must hurry!"

"No need," said Amelia, "It's non-life-threatening and it's being taken care of."

As they passed through the Entry Hall, Amelia was handed another note. She read it, frowned and put it in her pocket with the first one.

# # #

As they arrived in the Infirmary on the second floor, two aurors closed the doors behind them and took up guard positions.

Harry had the other three hang back with him. He whispered to them, "This is Madam Bones's thing. It's best if we stay out of it, okay?"

The other three nodded. They moved to stand on the other side of the room to watch.

While they were moving, an older wizard started speaking to the assembled staff. "I'm Master Healer Jenkins," he said. "I've been asked to examine each of you to detect if anything... magical... a magical attack has been made upon you."

"I don't think that's necessary," said Professor McGonagall, with a frown. "I assure you, I have not!"

The other staff were also not happy about this.

"Then my passing a wand over you will not matter, then," he replied.

Professor McGonagall frowned even deeper. Then she sighed and said, "Very well!"

The Healer passed a wand over her. "Thank you. Please, go stand over there!" he said indicating a spot off to the left.

Professor McGonagall**,** still frowning, walked a little apart to the left.

Madam Pomfrey then stepped forward and said, "You can do me, next."

The Healer passed a wand over her. "Thank you. Please, go stand over there with the Professor!" he said indicating looked at Amelia with a very grim look, before turning back to what he was doing.

He then moved through the staff slowly. Almost all staff were sent off to the right. Professors Snape and Hagrid were sent to stand with McGonagall and Pomfrey. Those four were the ones Harry figured would be the only ones. He just thanked God there weren't more.

Healer Jenkins then said to the others, "Thank you for your patience, you may go." Two aurors escorted them back out of the infirmary.

Turning to the four he said, "I now require you four to take one bed each."

"Sir, I assure you..." started McGonagall.

"No, Madam, you do not," said the Healer, matter-of-factly. "One to a bed, please. You have each been magically attacked. In fact, you've each been attacked at least once."

"_What?_" roared Snape. "_Who would dare?!_"

"That, Sir," said the Healer, "is what we're about to learn! Now, one to a bed. Please!"

He had them each lie on a bed, side by side and each separated by a transportable curtain. The heads of the beds were turned up so the patients were partly sitting up.

Harry and the other three came closer, to stand next to Amelia. However, they remained out of the Master Healer's way. There were two witches with him. Harry assumed them to be medi-witches.

Healer Jenkins started with the first patient, Acting Headmistress McGonagall. With his two medi-witches in support, he carefully made a scan of her head. He spent quite a while.

When he stopped, he said to her, "I'll be back."

Then he moved on to Madam Pomfrey on the next bed. Same check and he moved on to Snape, then Hagrid.

Then he came over to speak with Amelia. "May I speak with you in private?" he asked.

Amelia grimly shook her head and said, "These four remain. It is _their_ staff you're examining. Now, what's going on?"

Healer Jenkins looked at the four heirs, hesitated a moment, and said, "All four have been obliviated in one form or another. Medi-witch Pomfrey has a significant hole in her memories going back about a decade, as does Mister Hagrid. Mister Snape's is more recent but it's more of a... attitude adjustment... than a memory obliviation. The worst is Mrs McGonagall's. She has the same decade old obliviation, but she also has a number of others, with memory modification, over the course of the past same decade."

"And what can you do, Master Healer?" she asked.

"Very little, I'm afraid," he replied with a shake of his head and sigh.

'Damn it!' thought Harry. 'Well, bugger!'

"If I remove the blocks on their memories I'm likely to cause damage," said the Healer. "It may be irreparable."

"What's going on?" called Snape.

The old Healer turned to Snape and said, "I'll be with you in a moment, sir."

She asked, "Is the magical signature the same?"

He grimly nodded.

Harry said to Amelia, "Madam Bones?"

She looked at Harry and cocked an eyebrow.

Harry looked back grimly and said, "I'm... we're... going to need the people in this room to take a magical vow of silence. Then, I'll explain why."

Amelia frowned at Harry for a moment. Then, he could see she suddenly understood.

She turned to the two aurors who were still standing guard at the door. "You two," she called. "Stand outside and bar anyone entry. The rest of you, except the medical personnel, the four patients and the four heirs, leave the room immediately."

The two aurors plus a couple more that were inside, left the room.

After they were gone, she said softly to the four, "This doesn't include you four." Then, she said to the room, "I now require each of you to give a magically binding vow you will not discuss with anyone what's about to happen in this room over... for the rest of the evening!"

"Madam!" exclaimed the Healer. "I took an oath!"

"This will not impinge on your oath," she replied. "You're about to learn something I _cannot_ allow anyone else to know."

"Very well," he grumped. He drew his wand and made the oath. All the others, including the four patients did the same.

"And what about these four?" the Healer asked, indicating the four heirs.

"They're the reason for your oath," she replied.

Harry said to the old Healer, "Tell them what's going on, Sir. And you may as well tell all four of them together, now."

The Master Healer frowned at Harry, but turned to his patient's. He said to them all, "My apologies for the delay. I regret to inform you, you have each been obliviated or mind-altered, at least once."

"_What?_" they all, except Hagrid roared. Hagrid said, "I don' remember tha' happenin'!"

The others all tried to ask questions or make demands at the same time. Harry just walked forward, raised his right hand and said, "Stop!"

They all quieted down. Snape glared at him, Hagrid was frowning in confusion, Pomfrey was in tears and McGonagall was displaying shock and anger. Pomfrey and Hagrid were lying back while Snape and McGonagall were sitting right up.

Harry said, "Let the Master Healer finish what he has to say."

Healer Jenkins walked to stand between the feet of the beds of Pomfrey and Snape. "One of you has had their... attitude... adjusted using a combination of an Obliviate Curse and Legilimens attack. Two of you have been obliviated once, and the obliviation erased a significant portion of time back about a decade ago. The fourth person had the same obliviation but has also had multiple attacks since then."

He then sighed and said, "There's very little I can do for you. The damage is too old."

Harry stepped forward and said, "Now, I'm going to step you through _when_ I believe it happened, and by _whom_. That is, if you can't figure the second part out for yourselves."

He headed over to stand at the foot of Hagrid's bed. "Hagrid. The night my parents died. Dumbledore told you my parents were dead and told you to go and get me from the cottage where they were staying. You collected me from the cottage nursery. Then you went downstairs. You jumped on Sirius Black's motorcycle and left. Where did you go?"

"Errr... Ummm... Harry... errr Lord Slytherin, sir... It... it's best not to speak o' such things..."

"_Hagrid!_" barked Harry. "You _will_ speak of it. You were riding Sirius Black's flying motorcycle. _Where did you go?_"

"I... umm... came back 'ere to 'ogwarts."

"Then what happened?"

"Then... ummm... Professor Dumbledore, he 'ad me take you to another place."

"What place?"

"I... ummm... I don' remember."

"When you brought me back here. What happened when you arrived?"

"I... I took you to... I took you to that other place."

"You came here, and then immediately took me to that other place?"

"I must've."

Harry nodded and moved on to Madam Pomfrey.

"When Hagrid brought me back here, did you examine me?"

She replied, "I don't ever recall seeing you before this evening, Lord Slytherin."

Harry nodded and went to Professor McGonagall, who appeared to be in shock with what she'd just heard.

"That's not how you remember it, is it, Ma'am," said Harry.

"Definitely not!" she replied. "Hagrid brought you here the night your parents died. I know that. But he didn't deliver you to your aunt and uncle's place until the next evening."

"Were you here when Hagrid arrived?"

"Yes, I was just leaving. I headed for your aunt and uncle's place."

"So, you were at my aunt and uncle's place for the rest of that evening and through to the next evening?"

"Yes. I went there to check them out. I wanted to be sure it would be a safe place for you."

Harry nodded and asked, "And what was the weather like that day?"

"I... I... don't remember!"

"Okay, so you were there when Hagrid showed up. How did he arrive?"

"He arrived riding Sirius's motorcycle with you tucked inside his coat."

"And how did Dumbledore arrive? Did he arrive before or after Hagrid?"

"Before... and... I don't remember how he arrived."

"What happened next?"

"We left."

"So, I was still inside Hagrid's coat?"

"No, we must've left you behind, first."

"Do you remember it?"

"N…no."

"Have you ever considered going back to check on me?"

"Of course!"

"And did you?"

"I... I don't remember."

Harry nodded. He turned and looked back to the Master Healer. He said, "Now we know what was taken. The knowledge of their actions relating to me on the nights of the Thirty-First of October and the First of November 1981. And the knowledge of either visiting me, or wanting to visit me, over the past near decade by Acting Headmistress McGonagall, here."

Harry walked over to stand at Professor Snape's bed. "Now, I'm pretty sure I know what's been altered in your attitude."

"What would you know of it, Potter?" the Professor snapped at him. "You're just an arrogant git, just like your father."

"_That's_ what's been altered," replied Harry. "Your attitude towards _me_."

Stepping across to stand with the Master Healer, who was in shock himself, over what Harry had just done, Harry said to all four of them, "Here's what _actually_ happened. Dumbledore had monitoring charms on the Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow. He saw them go off. Instead of contacting his Order of the Phoenix, and or the aurors, and letting them know the Potters were under attack, he summoned Hagrid to his office.

"He then sent Hagrid via, I think, portkey to the Potter Cottage to collect me. He knew my parents were dead and that I was still alive. _Think_ about how he managed that. Hagrid arrived and found me in the Potter Cottage remains up in the nursery, alive but with an injury to my forehead. Hagrid carried me outside and found Sirius's motorcycle where Sirius had left it when he went off chasing Peter Pettigrew. Instead of risking another portkey with an injured infant, Hagrid stuffed me in his coat and took the motorcycle. He rode it back to here.

"It was sometime around then that Professor McGonagall, under Dumbledore's orders, left to go to Little Whinging in Surrey to check out the home of my aunt and uncle. Dumbledore had told her that was where he was going to place me. However, my mother had told her what her sister and husband were like. She stayed all night and through to the next evening in her animagus form of a tabby cat. She did not like what she saw.

"When Hagrid arrived at Hogwarts, because I was injured, he brought me directly to this very room. Madam Pomfrey examined me and found that I had a _soul leech_ stuck in my head, attached to my wound," he said, indicating his scar.

There were quite a few exclamations of shock. The Master Healer immediately waved his wand over Harry's forehead. "There was definitely _something_ there. But, it's gone now."

Harry nodded to the Healer and pressed on. "Madam Pomfrey wanted to take me immediately to St Mungo's. Dumbledore had arrived in the infirmary by that time and either then or later, probably later, hit Madam Pomfrey and Hagrid with an Obliviate Curse. I was kept here for about twenty-four hours.

"The next evening Dumbledore sent Hagrid with me, again, in his coat down to where my aunt and uncle lived in Surrey. Hagrid was riding the motorcycle so Dumbledore was able to bide his time. Later, Dumbledore arrived in Little Whinging through apparation and was met by Professor McGonagall. Hagrid arrived a few minutes later.

"Dumbledore then took me from Hagrid and placed me on the bloody doorstep - in the middle of the bloody night, in late Autumn - and stuck a letter on my chest for my aunt and uncle. He didn't even bother to knock or ring the bell to let them know I was there. Then he, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid left. He, again, obliviated you both to my being delivered there."

Looking to Professor McGonagall, he said, "And I believe he's also obliviated _you_ whenever he found out you _had_ visited, or were _about to_ visit, the Dursleys to stop you from doing so and planting the suggestion you had, and that everything was okay."

Looking at Snape, he said, "And I think he's altered you to make you somewhat hostile towards me. He's able to do that by playing on your... dislike... for my father."

Professor McGonagall was leaning forward with her head in her hands. It sounded like she was crying. Madam Pomfrey definitely was. She was weeping openly, as was Hagrid.

Professor Snape was frowning away and muttering curses.

Harry allowed them a few moments to digest what he'd told them, and to come to terms with it.

Healer Jenkins said, "I wish I could do something for you all. The only thing I can do is offer you sedative potions. At least now, if Lord Slytherin is right, you all know what happened."

"Well, this is where the magically binding vow comes in," said Harry. "With the help of Susan, Neville and Hermione, I can recover a lot of those memories that were removed without harm to any of you."

"What?" asked the healer with a frown. "That's impossible!"

"No, sir, it is not." said Harry firmly. "What I need you to do is be ready to sedate each of the patients when I'm done. At the very least, they're going to come out of what I do to them, very dizzy. It may take them a while to... reabsorb... the memories."

Harry then turned to the other three heirs and said, "We'll start with Hagrid."

The four of them walked over to Hagrid's bed. Harry was standing the closest to Hagrid's head on the side opposite Snape.

"Okay, guys," he said. "Magical medicine. The Obliviate Undo charm."

The other three frowned for a couple of seconds before Harry could see they'd each found it.

Harry then drew his wand and looked down at Hagrid. "When I do this, a lot of images are going to flash through your mind, then sound and the other senses. It may take you a while to sort through it. Give yourself time and don't try to sit up, or you may fall out of bed. Okay?"

Hagrid looked a little afraid, but he said, "I trust yer, 'Arry!"

Harry smiled and nodded at the man.

"Okay, guys. I need your magical support," he said.

He raised his wand and said, "_Obliviatus Obscura Revealus_!" And tapped Hagrid lightly on the forehead with the tip of his wand.

They waited a few seconds while Hagrid's eyes darted about, not focussing on anything. He stiffed and shook a bit before he let out a cry and suddenly bursting into renewed tears. "Oh Merlin!" he cried. "What did we do to yer, 'Arry? What did we do?"

"It's okay, Hagrid," said Harry, patting him on the shoulder. "It was _all_ Dumbledore."

Hagrid was still bawling as Harry and the other three left the side of the bed. The medi-witches then hit him with a sleeping draught.

The three heirs then approached Madam Pomfrey's bed. "Madam Pomfrey? Do you want us to do this?" asked Harry.

Madam Pomfrey grimaced but gave a firm nod.

"Okay, guys," he said. "Same again."

Harry still had his wand in his hand and said to the medi-witch, "Just like with Hagrid, when I do this, a lot of images are going to flash through your mind, then sound and the other senses. It may take you a while to sort through it. Give yourself time and don't try to sit up, or you may fall out of bed. Okay?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded again and closed her eyes.

Again, he raised his wand and said, "_Obliviatus Obscura Revealus!_" And tapped her lightly on the forehead.

A few seconds later she drew a deep breath and held it. Harry could see her eyes dancing about under her eyelids. "Aaaahh!" she cried. Then she shot up to a sitting position. Harry had hold of her by her shoulder. She swayed about and Harry forced her to lie back again. He held her down, this time.

Her eyes then shot open and she looked straight ahead. Tears started welling in her eyes again. "Oh, Merlin!" she sobbed.

Once Harry was sure she wasn't going to try and sit up again, he let her go. He and the others moved away from the bed.

Moving around to Professor McGonagall's bed, Harry said, "Acting Headmistress McGonagall, because you've had multiple obliviations across the past decade, your reaction is going to be quite stronger. Do you want me to do this?"

Professor McGonagall looked right back with fire in her eyes and said firmly, "Yes, Lord Slytherin, I do!"

Harry said to her, "As with the other two, when I do this, a lot of images are going to flash through your mind, then sound and the other senses. It may take you a while to sort through it all. Even longer that the other two. Give yourself time and don't try to sit up, or you may fall out of bed. Okay?"

"Yes, Lord Slytherin," she replied with a firm voice.

Once again, he raised his wand and said, "_Obliviatus Obscura Revealus!_" And tapped her lightly on the forehead as she closed her eyes.

Professor McGonagall's reaction was almost immediate. She stiffened right up and let out a small cry. Her eyes were going crazy behind her eyelids. Harry reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. Neville did the same from the other side.

"Don't fight it, Minerva," said Harry. "Let it come. It will _not_ harm you!"

Then she'd suddenly relax and let out an explosive whoosh of air, before stiffening up again and drawing a deep breath.

They stood that why for a while. Professor McGonagall slowly relaxed and just laid there sobbing. Harry and the others moved away from the bed. The medi-witches then moved in to do their thing.

Once Harry was sure the three were going to be okay he went back over to Amelia. "They should probably rest for the night; especially Acting Headmistress McGonagall. They've got a lot to think about."

Amelia nodded.

After checking on Professor McGonagall himself, the Master Healer came over. He asked, "What was that spell you used, My Lord? I _must_ have it."

Harry replied, "Well, you can't tell anyone where you got it from; but, okay." Turning to Hermione he asked, "Can you step Master Healer Jenkins through the mechanics of the charm, 'Mione?"

She nodded and led the old Healer aside to instruct him.

Harry thought for a bit and then walked over to Professor Snape. He said, "I'm pretty sure I know what to do with you, Professor. But it's something I'd really rather not do."

"And just what do you think you could do, Potter?" sneered Snape. "I'm a Master Occlumens!"

Harry sighed and said, "Then you can go into your own mind and fix the bloody problem! However, the fact you're an Occlumens is really not going to matter one whit if I have to do something about it. And it's still _Lord Slytherin_! However, I now know your... sucky... attitude is not _entirely_ your own fault. So, I'm going to cut you a bit of slack... for now."

He left the man spluttering and muttering.

Harry went to turn about before hesitating and turning back. "Remember this, though. If I really _was_ anything like my father, you'd already be gone by now. I'm much more like my mother. Her eyes are not the only part of her within me I inherited." Then he walked away.

He rejoined Amelia and Master Healer Jenkins. He said to the Healer, "Professor Snape is going to be far more difficult. There's something I can do but it's going to be quite... rude... of me to do it. The man's a Master Occlumens, so I want to see if he can adjust his own attitude, first. Other than that, unless you need him for anything else, you should release him for now."

"Well, I can possibly recommend an Occlumens therapist that can help him find and repair the damage. But it's up to him," said the Healer.

"Offer it to him," said Harry. "It's up to him to take it or not. But, it'd be best if we leave the room. As the modification is based on me, I think my presence may influence his response."

The Healer nodded and went to talk to the Professor. Harry, the other heirs and Amelia headed out of the infirmary.

# # #

Back down at the Entry Hall, Amelia's aurors were finalising their search. The castle had been searched and they'd only found two more dark items. One was in the castle library and behind a locked case. Harry told her to leave it, if no one could get to it. And the other was in the owner's suites in the rooms allotted for Lord Slytherin.

That surprised Harry. He hadn't even thought where he, and the other three, would be sleeping that night. The idea there was owner's suites appealed to him.

However, they'd clearly not been able to search either the Room of Requirement or the Chamber of Secrets. That meant they hadn't found Rowena's diadem or the basilisk.

Amelia said, "Well, it looks like the castle is now clear, thank Merlin!"

Harry nodded and said, "That leaves just the grounds. But, that can wait until daylight and when there's more time."

Amelia looked askance at him and asked, "The grounds?"

"The Forbidden Forest," he replied. "I know there are a number of dangerous creatures in there. And we don't like them this close to the castle."

"What _sort_ of dangerous creatures?" she carefully asked.

Instead of answering, Harry asked, "Do you really want to know, right now?"

"Yes**, **I think I had better," she replied with a sigh.

"Well, for one, there's a significant acromantulan nest somewhere in the middle of it. And there are _hundreds_ of the buggers there. The largest, Aragog, has a body about the size of a small horse. With its legs spread, it would easily fill the floor of this Entry Hall. It's been there for almost fifty years."

"Oh, sweet Merlin!" she said, putting her face in her right hand.

"Something to deal with in the broad daylight, Amelia," said Harry firmly. "Oh, and leave the centaurs alone. I know they're considered dark creatures, but there's an unwritten treaty with them. They can live there, so long as they behave themselves. And, I don't want any creature that _isn't_ harmful to children removed, either.

"But, as I said, something for the daylight hours. There's no rush."

"Alright, then we'll be back at about lunch time tomorrow, then," she said. She walked off to talk to her aurors muttering, "Acromantulans, hundreds of them, less than a mile from the castle. Why me?"

# # #

Just before Amelia and her aurors left for the night, Harry and the others sent the staff off to bed. They already knew the four still in the infirmary had been magically attacked, and that they were going to be alright. Harry told them he was quite sure they'd be down for breakfast, the next morning.

Then he told Amelia they'd leave the Entry Hall open as an apparation point, for now. There really wasn't any reason for one not to exist in the castle during a time of peace, anyway. But he'd definitely find a better place for it. One where it'd be out of the way and securable.

Susan called for an elf, and asked it to show them the way to the owner's suites. Harry thought she was really starting to assert herself. Hermione was also starting to take a firmer role in matters, but Neville was still lagging behind a little.

'Ah give them time, ya bully!' Harry thought. 'They'll get there, even Neville.'

When they walked in to their suites on the second floor, which were quite spacious, they found a common room with a large fireplace. The decor was quite antiquated, but Harry still considered it quite opulent. The set of suites led off it. There was each of the House crests on one each of four of six doors leading out of the room. One of the doors was the set of fancy double doors through which they entered the room, there was one to each of the four houses, and a sixth one. The sixth led to a communal kitchen and some storage space; plus an individual toilet and wash-up area.

Harry entered his Slytherin suite. Again, very opulent but antiquated. He had a huge master bedroom, a private wash facility, a large walk in robe, and a private combined office library. He checked the bed and found it had freshly laundered sheets ready for him to climb into and sleep. His trunk was also in the room and his school uniforms were hung up ready. He also had a second set of the silk robes he was wearing, plus a set of student's robes with the Slytherin colours.

'Well, so much for buying those expensive bloody trunks for each of us,' he thought.

The library had all his books on the shelves, adding to the scrolls already there. He wondered if he'd even be able to read them, or they'd just crumble. His potions, potions ingredients and the three hundred plus copies of his 'auto' biography were still in the trunk.

He went back out into the common room to see how the others had found their rooms.

Hermione was already there. She said, "Harry, the rooms are gorgeous! And the bed is just so _huuuuge_! I've got my own office and bathroom, too!"

Harry smiled and said, "Same here. But, I don't know if I like the decor. For one, everything is just so old. For another, my room is mainly decorated in green."

"Oh, Harry," she said. "But the colour matches your eyes so well!"

Neville had walked in and only heard Harry's last comment and Hermione's reply. He snorted. "Ooohhh... Haaaarrrryyy!" he gushed in a little girl's voice. "You have such beautiful eyes!" And broke into laughter.

"Nev," said Harry ominously. "Have you ever wondered what the inside of a toilet waste pipe looks like?"

Hermione just harrumphed.

"Alright, we've got folks to call," said Harry. "I need to call Sirius and Remus, Hermione needs to call her folks, and Nev needs to call his grandmother. Let's be about it, then."

However, first things first, they needed to eat. None of them had eaten much of anything, except snacks, since breakfast that morning. The house elves brought them a large serving of fresh meats and fruit, plus tea and pumpkin juice. They ate while they talked on their mirrors.

Hermione's parents were quite shocked that their little girl had 'come out of the closet', so to speak. Neville's grandmother couldn't make up her mind whether to be joyous or upset, so settled for both in equal measure. One second she was congratulating him; the next, she wanted to berate Harry for getting her grandson into this. And Sirius and Remus were both happy for him, and the others.

However, Harry's next move came as a shock to both of them. "You heard me, Professors. We need you here tomorrow morning. 9.00am sharp, please. You may want to arrive earlier as you'll need to move your stuff in, first, and review the materials Quirrell and Professor McGonagall had set for the term."

"Harry, please," begged his godfather. "Have a heart. I'm a humble man, newly released from Azkaban."

"Oh, sorry, Sirius," said Harry, voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Would you like me to book you back into St Mungo's for a bit of rehab? I'm sure your bed in room 49a is still available."

Sirius sighed and said, "That's low, Pup."

Harry said, "I really _am_ sorry, Sirius; but I need you. You can't tell me you're not one of the best skilled defenders against the dark arts there is, who isn't already an auror or an Unspeakable. Acting Headmistress McGonagall has already given the nod for you to do it. Same with Remus."

"Alright, Pup," replied Sirius, surrendering. "We'll both be there in the morning."

"Thank you, Sirius," said Harry. "I knew I could count on you."

After disconnecting from Sirius and Remus, Harry heard Hermione reviewing what had happened for her parents. They had their heads together peering back into their own mirror. Seeing Harry peer over Hermione's shoulder, Dan asked, "So, your cover's blown, then?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "Myrrdin and I had no idea the castle was sentient. We should have thought of that, though. It makes sense, when you think about it. After all, the Sorting Hat is sentient, why wouldn't the castle be?"

Dan said, "Harry, there's an old army maxim. No plan survives much beyond first contact with the enemy. Then, it's in God's hands."

Harry replied, "Well, Sir, I hope Her Majesty understands that when I send her a report on what has happened via Sir David at MI5."

Harry," said Dan, gently, "she's the Queen. Of course she knows that."

Harry nodded and said, "Well, it's now _publicly_ official, Sir. Your daughter is a Countess. Congratulations. I bet neither of you had these dreams for your daughter."

Emma snorted. "We couldn't be happier, Harry."

Harry left Hermione to chat with her parents. Neville had already finished his call to his grandmother. And Susan had been waiting on everyone else, but had also talked with Neville's Gran.

He told them Sirius and Remus would be arriving the next morning to take up their new duties. Both of them were looking forward to seeing them in the castle. Even though it was only a little over a few, long, hours ago they'd seen them at Kings Cross Station.

Not too long after Hermione finished her call, all four of them sat together to draft the letter to the Governors notifying them they were, in effect, fired. Harry offered to go to the owlery to send out the notices.

"Before that, though," he said. "I want to clothe the elves similar to how I have them clothed at Potter Manor. Are there any objections?"

Three head shakes and Harry called for an elf. "You called an elf, Master Slyth'rin, Sir?" it asked.

"Yes," replied Harry. "I want to talk to the elf in charge of... what elves do what in Hogwarts."

"Yes, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!" the little elf said before popping away. A moment later, a new elf popped into place.

"So, you're in charge of the house elves, or just in charge of scheduling?" asked Harry.

"Both, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!"

Harry nodded and said, "Are the same elves tasked with the same jobs all the time? Or do you rotate them around?"

"All elves work together, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!" replied the elf. "We knows what to do and gets it done."

Nodding again, Harry said, "Well, I don't like how the elves are forced to wear rags. I want that fixed. You know what my desires are by looking at me, yes?"

"Oh, yes, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!" And the elf was suddenly wearing black slacks, a white shirt, a black pseudo-sports jacket with the Hogwarts crest on the pocket of both jacket and shirt and black slip-on shoes. Harry thought it actually looked quite smart.

Looking up at the other heirs he asked, "Well, gang? What do you think?"

Nodding, Neville said, "I like it; fitting and functional."

Hermione and Susan agreed. But, Hermione added, "The girl elves can all wear knee length skirts of the same colour, though."

Looking at the now smartly dressed elf, Harry asked, "Are you under instructions to remain hidden from the denizens of the castle?"

"Yes, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!"

"Well," said Harry, "when you need to be seen from now on, you may allow yourselves to be so, okay?"

"Yes, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!"

"Make sure the other elves also know of these changes," instructed Harry. "Off you go!"

Sighing, Harry said, "And that's me pooped for the night. I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

"Good night, Harry," the other three replied; though, none of the other three left the room.

"When do we tell him?" asked Susan.

"Soon," replied Neville. "Leave him happy in his ignorance, for now."

"You know he's going to go mental, when we do tell him, don't you?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah," said Neville. "But, we'll make sure Sirius and Remus are nearby when we do. He can rant and rave all he likes; but, he won't be able to do anything about it, anyway."

# # #


	22. Tom's 'Outing'

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just_ wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two - Tom's 'Outing'

The next morning saw four bleary-eyed owners enter the Great Hall together again. They were, again, wearing their silk robes indicating their authority. They had just come from visiting the Infirmary where Hagrid and Madam Pomfrey had already been released, but Professor McGonagall was in the middle of receiving a berating from Master Healer Jenkins.

When the doors opened and the four heirs entered, the Master Healer turned to Harry and said, "You need to tell your Acting Headmistress she needs to obey her Healer's orders, and remain in bed for at least another few hours!"

Harry sighed and said, "Master Healer Jenkins, she's an adult. I have no right to order her to stay in bed as I feel it falls outside of my authority to do so. If she _wants_ out, then she can _get_ out."

"Well, I don't bloody like it!" the Healer snapped. "I have no idea what she may be in for now her memories have been returned."

"But I do," replied Harry. He turned to his new Acting Headmistress and said, "Professor, if you want out _no one_ is going to stop you. While we cannot order you to stay in bed if you are healthy, your health is also our responsibility. If you sense _any_ lingering side effect of what we did last night, you are to inform Madam Pomfrey _immediately_. Are we agreed?"

Professor McGonagall was sitting on the side of her bed. The Acting Headmistress saw who had entered and then cast her eyes downward. She replied with a sad voice, "Yes, Lord Slytherin. May I now return to my duties?"

"Almost," he replied. "I need you to try and accept that I... nor anyone else... holds you to blame for what happened to me these past ten years. Hear me well, Minerva McGonagall, I will _not_ forgive you, because there is _nothing_ to forgive you for."

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath and held it. She firmed her face, looked Harry in the eyes, and said, "Thank you... Harry."

"For helping you see the truth?" he asked. "You're welcome."

"Now, we're starved!" said Neville. "I'm a growing boy and I need sustenance to help me grow big and strong!"

Susan snorted. "Or fat!" she said, as they all turned around and started to head out of the Infirmary again.

Harry went to his table and sat on his chair at the head. He looked down the length of the table and saw the empty chair at the other end. 'Oh, yes,' he thought with a grin. 'Someone is soon to receive a mighty shock. The first prank of the year, if the Weasley twins don't beat me to it, will be at dinner tonight.'

He saw the first years, even Draco, were hesitant to talk to each other, fearing they'd be in trouble for doing so. So, Harry started it off by asking one of the new First Years how she found her first night sleeping in the castle.

Daphne Greengrass stammered to reply, "I... I... umm... it was... okay?"

"Last night was a bit of a shock, wasn't it?" he asked her.

She carefully replied, "It... was... not what I expected."

"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret," he said, all conspiratorially. "Neither did we! We hadn't planned on anyone knowing for at least a year yet. We wanted to enjoy our first year as students, just like you."

"Really... My Lord?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, really, Miss Greengrass," he replied with a smile. "But, Lady Hogwarts," he said with a gesture in the air, indicating the castle, "would have none of it. _She_ decided we would take our positions straight away."

Harry reached for some toast and a tab of butter, and proceeded to butter his toast before spooning on some fresh marmalade.

"So..." one of the other Slytherin 'Firsties', Blaise Zabini, asked, "you really didn't know it was going to happen?"

"Nope!" replied Harry with a grin, before taking a bite out his toast.

"But, you seemed prepared for it," Blaise said.

"We were," replied Harry. "Prior preparation and planning prevents poor performance. That is, be prepared for whatever eventuality you may face. A noble Slytherin trait, don't you think?"

Blaise, and a few others nodded. Harry could see they understood the message.

One of others, Tracey Davis, then asked, "You said, 'Lady Hogwarts'. Is the castle alive?"

"In a sense," replied Harry. "She's sentient. That means she's capable of higher level thought and action. However, she doesn't have a beating heart, or blood flowing through veins, or a brain. And she is supposed to report to, and obey, us. Unlike last night."

Harry sat upright and seemed to peer off into the distance for a moment, before giving a small snort of amusement.

"Was that her?" asked one of the Second Years, Terrence Higgs, who had slid up the table to listen in.

"Yes, that was her," replied Harry with a chuckle. "She didn't actually speak to me, then. Though she _is_ capable of it. It's like a whisper in the mind. But, what I got from her was an emotional sense of... smugness. She's actually quite pleased with herself for what she did."

"Well," cut in young Draco Malfoy, who had only recently arrived at table. "When I owl _my father_, about this, _he'll_ soon put a stop to it. _He's_ on the school board." And looked rather pleased with himself.

Harry let him prattle on until he'd finished, and then said, "I have no doubt your father _will_ soon learn of this, _Mister_ Malfoy. His termination papers, as well as those for everyone else on the School Board, should be winging their way to him, even now; _if_ they've not already been received."

"Wh... _what_?" the young lad blurted.

"_Really_, Mister Malfoy," asked Harry, a touch condescendingly, "Did you _not_ pay attention to what happened _not twelve feet_ from you, last night?"

"I... I..." the lad stammered.

Harry tsk-tsked and said, "What about when the Hat sang, 'The _heirs_ have come to Hogwarts, new, together side-by-side', and when I stood and gave my oath where I said, '...being the _magical heir_ of founder Salazaar Slytherin...', and when the four of us recited, 'We four, the _heirs_ united...'. Did none of that mean anything to you?"

"Oh, my..." said Daphne.

"I...," stammered Draco, before bracing himself up and haughtily stating, "I don't know what you mean."

"Clearly," said Harry. "However, it appears Miss Greengrass does." Harry then indicated Daphne and asked, "Miss Greengrass?"

More students had gathered to hear what Harry was saying.

Daphne replied, "It means... the four heirs..." she indicated Harry and the other three sitting at their own tables and talking to students, "... _own_ Hogwarts."

Harry nodded and said, "Correct, Miss Greengrass. Turning to one of the other students, he asked, "And what does that mean regarding a School Board _of Governors_?"

"Ummm... I... don't know," the student said a bit confused.

"Anyone?" he asked, looking around. "No?"

Nothing but headshakes except Daphne.

"Miss Greengrass?" asked Harry, looking back at the lass.

"As you own Hogwarts, and have taken control," she replied, "the school no longer needs governors?"

"Very _good_, Miss Greengrass!" said Harry with a bright smile. "As of about ten minutes after the completion of the sorting, last night, the entire membership of the Board, including the remit of the Board itself, became superfluous. They're all out of the job."

Draco huffed and said, "My father will not stand for that! You'll see!"

"Mister Malfoy," said Harry, "are you _sure_ you were sorted into the right House? Because, you're _acting_ like a Gryffindor. Stop jumping in with both feet before you have all the information you can gather. Don't volunteer anything unless it gains you something in return."

Draco spluttered and looked ready to burst a vein. A couple of the other boys grinned while two of the younger girls tittered.

"Anyway, I don't like to talk around a mouthful of food; so, if you folks can excuse me for a bit, I want to see if I can get some breakfast into me before the first lesson in here at 9.00am."

The small crowd returned to their seats while Harry partook of breakfast. After he'd eaten his fill he called an elf and made sure they knew to rearrange the hall just before 9.00am into an effective lecture hall. Then he headed over to talk to the other heirs.

He laid out what prank he wanted to pull on his godfather, that night, at dinner. They thought it'd be hilarious. And it would show the students the four heirs were up to having a bit of fun. Especially, given the lecture they were all about to receive.

Then he called for an elf and spoke to one of the ones responsible for castle maintenance. He told him what he wanted and the elf understood. He said he'd have it done in the hour and popped away.

The students were ordered from the Hall at 8.45am, and told to return at 9.00am sharp. The four heirs remained inside and supervised the setting up.

# # #

When the students and staff returned, all the tables had been removed. There was a long blackboard sitting on the stage where the staff table was normally found. Where the House tables would normally be angled down the length of the hall, there were now student lecture theatre style chairs. Each with its own little table at the right hand side. Left handed for the left handed students.

The four heirs were standing side-by-side on the dais in front on the blackboard. As the students and staff filed in, Susan said, "Take a seat, everyone. Houses don't matter. Those who sit at the back will, more than likely, be called upon to answer questions."

When everyone was seated, Harry summoned a house elf. "Are there any students or staff not present here in the Great Hall, right now?"

"Three is not here, Master Harry," the elf said.

"Who are they?" asked Hermione.

"They be Mister Filchy, Mister Hagrid an' a student from Gryff'dor," replied the elf.

"And where is the student?" and Neville.

"In the Gryff'dor big room."

"Well, then," said Neville. "We'll excuse the two staff members; but, go and get the student and bring them here, immediately."

The elf popped away. A moment later, Lee Jordan, the compatriot of the Weasley twins, suddenly appeared reposed on the dais in front of the four heirs. Though wearing his uniform and robes, he appeared to have been sleeping.

Some of the students in front of them sniggered. Others whispered among themselves.

Neville said, quite cheerily as the Third Year Gryffindor boy lay there bleary-eyed looking up at the four heirs in shock, "Well, good morning, Mister Jordan. I'm sorry to wake you, but the time _is_ after 9.00am, and you had a mandatory lecture to attend."

Susan stared at him and said, "Go find a seat. One of the ones near the front row will be perfect for you."

The boy scrambled off the floor and scurried to a seat a couple of rows back, next to a couple of other Third Year Gryffindors. They gave him a little bit of curry, for his trouble.

After the boy had settled, Harry said, "The reason you have all been told to attend this morning is, in part, to properly introduce ourselves; to let you know what happened last night; and to inform you of some rule changes."

"First, though, is the rule changes. Here are your copies." Harry and the other three distributed copies of what Harry, with the help of the other three, had drafted just over a month ago. The ten most important rule changes for Hogwarts students and staff.

"So," said Hermione, "let's go over them!" She held her wand out, flat, gripped in the middle between thumb and index finger. "This is a wand. With it, you are able to _kill_. And _that_ makes it a deadly weapon."

Neville then said, "If you are found pointing it at someone, it could be considered a threat to their life. As such, you may find yourself treated accordingly. We do not care _who_ you are. We do not care if your father is the Minister for Magic or your mother is a scullery maid in the mundane world. If we believe you are threatening the life of another student, we _will_ immediately act. The staff also have these instructions."

Hermione said, "Second is the point system. Until now you were awarded points, and lost points, based only on the House. As of now, the point system applies to the _individual_ student, and _then_ to the House. The new point system starts right now."

That received a lot of murmurings and mutterings from the assembled students. Harry called, "Folks, please be silent until we get through these few items. Once we're done you'll be able to ask questions!"

Continuing, Hermione said, "Each student has one hundred points at the start of the school year. Those one hundred points also goes the House. Each student can earn, and lose, points. If you drop below fifty points in a year, your parents and guardians will be notified. If you drop below ten points, your parents and guardians will again be notified. If you drop to zero points, you can find yourself, at the minimum, _suspended_!"

"Thirdly," said Susan, "there are five terms that we, and _Her Majesty_, consider highly offensive. I will only say them once, and they will only appear in writing once... on that sheet in front of you. Those terms are: 'squib', 'muggle', 'muggle-born', 'mudblood' and 'blood traitor'. In their places you may use the terms 'non-magical', 'mundane' and 'mundane-born'. From this moment forth, the use of any of those offensive terms _will lose you points_."

Fourth, said Harry, "The Muggle Studies class is going to be replaced. It will be replaced with two classes run side-by-side. They will be Studies of the Mundane World, and Studies of the Magical World. Students raised in the magical world will attend Studies of the Mundane World, and vice versa. However, we need to track down a mundane-raised or mundane-born witch or wizard to run the mundane class. We don't have them yet."

Susan said, "Those are the four main points of those ten rules you have in front of you. If you don't understand any of them, or just seek clarification, ask. There are only two places where we will be unapproachable. They are in the toilet, and in the bathroom. Even when we are in our private suites, you may knock, seek entrance and talk to us. We do not bite."

Harry said, "The points tally for each student and each House is on the back wall of this Hall." He indicated the two sets of tally boards each side of the doors leading out of the Entry Hall. "They also appear for each House in their common rooms. So, you have _no_ excuse for not knowing where you sit on the tally board and how many points you have."

"So," said Hermione, "those are the four main points. The floor is now open to questions."

There was general murmurings before a student halfway back raised her hand. "What about if a student gets hit for fifty points by... a Professor for only asking a question?"

The student was Gryffindor and Neville answered it. Even an idiot knew who he was talking about. "All awarding and deducting of points are reviewable by each House's Counsellor, and us four, together. We're aware of the difficulties relating to the point system in the past. This will fix it. If you believe you've been unfairly deducted points, you can have it reviewed. First by your House Counsellor, then by the four of us sitting in review."

Professor Snape did not appear to be happy hearing that.

Susan picked up the subject. "But, be aware, if the points deducted or punishment awarded, when reviewed, seem to be insufficient, they may be increased. We will not have students coming to seek point reviews for every single time they're deducted points, or believe another student unfairly received points."

A First Year from Slytherin, Theodore Nott, said, "But everyone uses the term 'muggle'. Why can't we?"

"That's five points against you, Mister Nott, for using one of the banned terms" said Harry. "But, as your question is relevant, you get your five points back. Her Majesty, and we, all find the terms offensive. This is _our home_ you're currently living within. You do so by our Grace. And we will _not_ have those terms or language used within our home or on our grounds."

"Next question?" asked Hermione.

A Slytherin student asked, "What if a Gryffindor points a wand at me, and I need to defend myself?"

Hermione answered, "Then the castle, Lady Hogwarts - or the paintings if they see it - will inform us immediately. If you, also, draw your wand and point it at the original culprit, then you _both_ will be in deep doo-doo."

Harry expanded on that by saying, "The castle, the paintings, the house elves... will report to us or a nearby staff member any and _all_ times a student is in danger; no matter the reason. Your safety is our primary concern. It's also the reason the castle insisted, last night, we take control immediately."

Susan firmly stated, "_Any_ student who deliberately harms another student, or member of staff, will face immediate suspension and or expulsion. _No_ exceptions! This is your first, last and only warning!"

Another student, "You said, Her Majesty finds... those words... offensive. Do you mean the mugg... errr... the mundane Queen of Britain?"

Harry answered, "No, I mean Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second, _by the Grace of God_ Queen of the United Kingdom... _all_ of the United Kingdom, including magical Britain. And she is _not_ a non-magical or mundane. Her Majesty has magical powers of her own. The knowledge, of which, is a secret of the realm and not for the public to know."

Neville continued with, "And, for those who don't know... or haven't bothered to find out... the Minister _for_ Magic answers to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister answers to the Cabinet, the House of Lords and _Her Majesty_. That means, Her Majesty commands the Minister's boss; and, through him, the Minister."

Susan added, "You are _all_ British citizens. That means, you are _all_ Her Majesty's subjects. You must never forget that; even if the Wizengamot and the Ministry _have_... for the time being. If you want to know what that means, come and see us later, or one of the mundane raised. They all know what it means; and would be shocked to discover you didn't."

"No more questions?" asked Hermione.

No more hands were raised.

"Good," said Harry. "Don't forget, you can come and approach us at any time if you're unsure about anything."

Susan said, "Next, is who we are. For those who weren't paying attention last night, or were in too much shock to remember anything," she grinned, "I'm Susan Bones, the Countess Hufflepuff. That makes me Lady Hufflepuff as Head of House Hufflepuff, and Lady Bones as Head of House Bones. When dealing with matters pertaining to the owners of Hogwarts... such as this meeting here... I'm Lady Hufflepuff; when dealing with matters pertaining to my family, I'm Lady Bones; when I'm just being a fellow student, I'm Miss Bones, the same as you."

Hermione stepped forward, "I'm Hermione Granger, the Countess Ravenclaw. That makes me Lady Ravenclaw as Head of House Ravenclaw. The same applies for the rest of my names as with Lady Hufflepuff."

Neville stepped forward. "I'm Neville Longbottom, Earl Gryffindor. And my names follow the same style as Lady Hufflepuff."

Harry stepped forward and said, "And, I'm Harry Potter, Earl Slytherin. Again, the names follow the same style. However, I'm also the Heir to House Black.

"Lady Hufflepuff and Lord Gryffindor," Harry went on to say, "are both of Pureblood families and are both magically raised. Lady Ravenclaw is considered mundane born, though she comes from Pureblood roots, and is mundane raised. And I'm considered a half-blood of Pureblood stock, and am mundane raised."

"I know that may confuse people; so, any questions?" he asked.

A Hufflepuff, Paul McCutcheon, asked a question without raising their hand. "But, weren't you supposed to have been raised in a giant castle and fought trolls and stuff?"

Harry smiled and said, "That question would have earned you five points. But it also lost you five points for not raising your hand. Wait one moment, please."

Harry then called Pixie.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

Harry knelt and whispered quietly to the little elf, "I need you to go into my private suite to my trunk and get out a copy of the book I wrote for every student and staff member here. Then, I want you to distribute them to all staff and students. Okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!" *Pop*

A few seconds later, a copy of Harry's book appeared on each student and staff member's table.

Harry said, "The book before you is a pretty accurate telling of how my life has been lived until very recently. Everything else you've read about me, if it _does not_ match what is in my book, is a _lie_. I consider such things slanderous and libellous. My legal representative, Mister Doge, is currently visiting the authors and publishers of each of those other works to... have words... with them; and you may wish to return whatever publication has spread such lies about me that you own back to where you bought it to gain a refund. Read your copy at your leisure; don't read them at your leisure; it's up to you. However, I hope you do, as it will shoot down a lot of misconceptions you have about me and my history."

Susan said, "Now, for what happened last night." She, with help from the other three, gave the same information about what happened as they did with the staff. And it took about the same time.

Neville asked, "Are there any questions on that?"

Marietta Edgecombe, a Ravenclaw student, asked, "So, last night wasn't planned? It wasn't supposed to happen?"

Harry answered, "Oh, it was supposed to happen, alright; just not until the end-of-term feast next June. That would then have meant the four of us would have been able to enjoy the whole of our first year as ordinary First Years. It would have also meant we'd have had an effective nine and a half months to review everything going on, and made plans for the new school year, beginning this time _next_ year."

Hermione picked it up from there. "We wanted the year, without being announced, to be just ordinary students. We wanted to enjoy the year, just as you've been able to, and the First Years, this year, _will_ be able to. We wanted you to get to know us as ordinary students before we dumped the whole Earldom thing on you."

A House scion Sixth Year from Slytherin raised his hand and asked, "But, surely, the magic of the rings would have immediately announced the ring had been donned?"

"There's the 'million dollar question'," said Harry, pleased it was one of his Slytherins who had come to that realisation. "Your name, Sir?"

"Warrington; Charlus Warrington," the boy replied.

"Well, Mister Warrington, the ring's magic was... is... suppressed. The goblins blocked it. And they did it by special request of Her Majesty. The four of us will have to go to Gringotts and get the magics unblocked," he said. "And that question just earned you ten points, Mister Warrington."

As soon as Harry said it, the tally board for Charlus jumped from one hundred to one hundred and ten points. And the total Slytherin points at the bottom also jumped up by ten points.

Mister Warrington also asked, "The Queen knows the goblins?"

"Yes," said Harry. "Magical Britain is not the only part of the United Kingdom that has a treaty with the goblins. So does Her Majesty on behalf of the entire realm."

One of the Gryffindors asked, "Does that mean you own Hogwarts?"

Susan replied, "Yes, it does. _All of it_. Each of us four own one quarter each of the castle, the school it houses, the grounds on which it sits for miles around, and even the land on which Hogsmeade sits - including the station. The net rent on the properties of Hogsmeade go directly into the accounts for each of the four Houses. Five points"

Another Gryffindor asked, "But, don't you have to attend classes, or your wands will be snapped and your magics bound?"

Neville replied, "Actually, no. The law requires us to attend _school_; not _classes_. We're doing that. It also doesn't say _how many_ classes you have to attend to be considered 'attending school'. Five points."

Draco, without raising his hand, called out, "Well, that's not what the law is supposed to mean. When my father hears about this, he'll fix things back to the way they're supposed to be!"

Harry sighed and said, "Mister Malfoy, we've been _over_ this. Raise your hand when you want to ask a question. And we've not asked you for overblown, ill-thought brash statements of fallacy! _We've asked for questions_! Five points _from_ Mister Malfoy."

Susan said to the silly lad, "We own Hogwarts! Just as any other owner has the right to do with their property as they wish, we have the right to do with ours. It does not matter one whit what anyone else _attempts_ to tell us to do."

Hermione spoke up and said, "It does not matter what anyone thinks the law was _supposed_ to say, either. It only matters what it _does_ say. If it was supposed to say something different than what it does, then it was ill-conceived."

Neville asked, "Are there any other _questions_?"

That was it, for the questions. Draco's poor declaration ended the discussion.

Susan said, "We also have four school notices. First, last night the aurors searched the castle top to bottom. They removed at least _five_ dark artefacts. Two of them were in the possession, one each, of two students. Those two students were removed from the school last night and taken back to the DMLE for further enquiries. We expect them to return without those artefacts. Any student who knowingly brings such an artefact into the school will find the same treatment."

Hermione then said, "Second, the Forbidden Forrest is just that. Forbidden! The aurors will be returning to the grounds of Hogwarts shortly. They will be clearing a lot of dark creatures out of it. However, even after they do, students will _still_ be forbidden from entering it."

"Third," said Harry, "As you're aware, Albus Dumbledore was removed from the school in the custody of the aurors, last night. Until... and if... he returns, the Acting Headmistress of the school will be Professor McGonagall; the Acting Deputy Headmaster will be Professor Flitwick."

"And, fourth," said Neville, "as Professor Quirrell is currently suffering from a possession, the position of Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts will be filled by a new Professor, Professor Sirius Black. And, as Professor McGonagall is currently filling the position as Headmistress, her slot as Professor of Transfigurations will be temporarily filled by Professor Remus Lupin. They're sitting in the audience with you."

The two new Professors waved their hands about.

Harry said to the others, loud enough to be heard by their audience, "I think that covers everything?"

They each nodded.

Susan said, "If there aren't any more questions...?"

No one responded.

Harry asked, "Acting Headmistress McGonagall**,** do you or your staff wish to address the student body, at this time?"

"Yes, please, Lord Slytherin," she replied.

She stood and walked up onto the dais. Then turned about to stare back over the audience.

She paused for a few moments before saying, "I know this comes as a shock to many of our students. However, we have no doubt the four heirs here," she gestured to the four of them, "are exactly who they say they are. The Hat would not have announced them, and the castle would not have given them the wards, if it were otherwise.

"Though I am no longer considered Head of House for Gryffindor, I remain the staff counsellor for the House; even though I am also Acting Headmistress. Professors Flitwick and Sprout also remain staff counsellors for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, respectively. Slytherin, Professor Snape has decided for this year not to be the staff counsellor for your House. However, I believe your replacement staff counsellor will be announced shortly," she said, looking at Harry; who nodded in return.

She finished by saying, "Classes will resume after morning tea."

"One, final, point," said Neville. "Tomorrow morning at 9.00am will be the same as today. Students will be required to attend that lecture, as well." Looking at Lee Jordan, he went on to say, "Only those who are in a bed in the infirmary, under Madam Pomfrey's ministrations, will be excused."

"Aaaaand, we're done," said Harry. "Please clear the hall so the normal arrangement can be set back up. Then it'll be morning tea. Oh, and we'll release the locks on the wards now. You can all send mail to your loved ones, if you wish."

Harry felt the wards go back to standard configuration, but left the apparation point in the Entry Hall. The aurors were going to need it when Amelia brought them back to clear out the forest.

"Professors Black and Lupin, Messengers Red-Headed Devil Twins Weasley and Jordan," called Harry. "Please come see me before you leave."

Harry saw Professor McGonagall also hesitate. He looked across at her and said, "It's okay, Professor. It's a personal matter." The Acting Headmistress nodded once and left through the rear door while the other students and staff were filing out the other main doors.

When Sirius, Remus, the twins and Lee Jordan reached Harry, he smiled at them. Turning to Sirius and Remus he said, "Professor Black, Professor Lupin, welcome. And thank you for your prompt response and attendance." They nodded in return.

"You're welcome... Lord Slytherin," replied Sirius.

"I hope you'll be able to join us at your first opportunity in the owner's suites. However, I also understand you'll both be... scrambling... to acquaint yourselves on the lesson plans, if there are any, for your respective classes. I believe Acting Headmistress McGonagall will be able to assist you there."

"Thank you, Harry," they both said.

Turning to the Weasleys and Jordan, Harry said, "Now, you three..." reaching into his robes he drew out the Marauder's Map, "...I return the Marauder's Map..." he said, glancing to see the startled reactions on the faces of Sirius and Remus, "... to you. And thank you for the loan of it last night. However, I remind you it is not your property, per se, and may call upon you in future to hand it back. Are we clear?"

George, or was it Fred, accepted the Map back with reverence, and said, "Thank you... Lord Slytherin."

"We'll be happy to..."

"...hold onto it for you..."

"until you need it again."

Lee asked, "Can you tell us who the other three Marauders are?"

Harry snorted and said, "They know who you three are. If they want you to know, they'll approach you at some time and tell you. As the son of a Marauder I will not break their trust in this."

"Thank you..."

"...oh, great Son of Prongs."

"Gred, Forge and Eel are at your service," said Lee. And all three gave a deep courtly bow.

Harry grinned and said, "Begone, upstarts!"

The three wannabe Marauders grinned back and left, clearly discussing what they now knew. And remaining unknowing they were in the presence of two of their 'heroes'.

"After they'd left hearing range, Sirius turned to Harry and asked, "How'd they get the Map, Pup?"

Harry smiled and replied, "They stole it out of Argus Filch's office last year. I have _no_ idea how Filch came into possession of it, though."

"It'll be Pettigrew's copy," mused Remus. "Filch caught him towards the end of our last year trying to sneak into the Kitchens for a late night snack."

# # #

At morning tea, all four of the heirs answered questions while sitting at their tables. They were minor questions but merely rehashing of what they'd already covered. Harry had a couple of Slytherins attempt to find out what the subject matter of the next day was going to entail, but he told them they'd have to wait. It was too important a subject just to provide 'piecemeal'.He didn't want people thinking they had the crux of it when they'd only have a small part of the whole.

Amelia returned with her aurors while the students were sitting down for lunch. And they immediately headed out to the Forbidden Forest.

Harry and the four heirs joined with classes in the afternoon. For Harry and Hermione one of them was First Year Charms with Professor Flitwick. Though he had little doubt of the Professor's skill, Harry wanted to assess Flitwick's performance, as a long term teacher, against the level of standards of the other Professors. He felt Professor Flitwick would be the standard he'd be expecting all teaching staff to meet in coming months.

Harry sat with Hermione in the back of the classroom. He wanted to quietly chat with her about things they'd be looking for that demonstrated competence of the Professor's field of teaching.

Today, for the first class in Charms, they'd be learning the Lumos Charm, and its cancelling component, the Nox Charm. The wand gesture was a simple holding of the wand vertical, pump magic into it, and calling 'Lumos!' with confidence. The cancelling Charm was the same, except the wizard would call 'Nox!'.

Harry knew he'd be bored, so he went through the movements, keeping his magic only trickling into the wand. He didn't want to seem to be overpowering the other First Years in only their first class ever using their wand.

After the first forty-five minutes Harry and Hermione, both, were bored. They'd taken notes on the class, the lesson plan, Professor Flitwick's style, the student's responses and their developing relationship with him. Harry was making little singsong chants when going over his Lumos Charm. He already had his chin propped up by his off-hand elbow on the desk.

Hermione gave a big sigh. Then she sat up straighter, held her wand tighter, made the tip describe a flat circle and stuck the tip up through the middle of it a couple inches. As she did she called, "Photonus Excitum!"

A ball of brilliant white light, equal in luminosity to about a five hundred candlepower spotlight, appeared about two inches above the tip of Hermione's wand. Harry just about dived away from the girl covering his eyes with the inside of his bicep. "_'Mione!_" he cried. "_Stop that!_"

Hermione just held her wand tip higher. The entire classroom was bathed in bright light. So bright, the other students were having difficulty seeing if their own wand tips were glowing suitably enough. However, they weren't watching their own wand movements, anyway. Just about all students, and Professor Flitwick, were staring back in shock at Hermione.

Professor Flitwick hopped down off his stack of old textbooks and hurried to the back of the class towards Harry and Hermione. He had his off-hand up shielding his eyes as he came. "Ooh! Ooh!" he cried. "My, oh, my, oh, my! That's a strong Lumos Charm you've got there, Miss Granger!"

"_Hermione!_" cried Harry. "_Turn it off!_"

Ignoring Harry, Hermione replied, "It's not a Lumos Charm, Professor. It's a charm of my own design." She cancelled the Charm by saying, "Photonus Peace!"

"Thank you!" sighed Harry in relief.

Dropping his hand, the Professor asked, "A Charm of your own design? And a very strong one at that. How on earth did you manage it?"

"Basically," she replied. "I looked at what the Lumos Charm was supposed to accomplish. What it does is cause the molecules at the tip of the wand to... fluoresce. That uses a great deal of magical energy to occur. It's effective, but energy inefficient.

"What I've done is just cause the photons in the ambient air to vibrate, and nothing more. Photons are the particles of matter that cause light, or reflect light. By only targeting those particles to vibrate and not the rest of matter, such as the dense matter in the tip of the wand, I'm able to conserve a great deal of magical energy, while also causing more photons to incandesce."

The professor was trying to understand what Hermione was talking about and was nodding his head appearing to understand. Harry doubted he actually did.

The Professor asked, "You don't happen to have the arithmancy for the Charm, do you?"

"Of course, Professor", she replied. And drew a great sheaf of parchment out of her book satchel, handing the lot to the Professor.

The Professor eagerly reached out and took the parchment and started to rifle through it. "Oh... umm... good... good," he said. "Thank you, Miss Granger. I'll be sure to get these back to you," he said holding up the parchment.

"No need, Professor," she replied. "I've got it memorised. You can have those if you want."

"Thank you, Miss Granger!" said the old Professor, heading back to his book stack. Looking around, remembering where he was, he called, "How is everyone doing? Are we getting some good light happening?"

The professor left the stack of parchment on his lectern and moved about the rest of the class providing one-on-one instruction where needed.

"Bloody, Hell, 'Mione!" whispered Harry to the girl. "Is that what you've been doing?"

She frowned and replied in her own whisper, "Remember when you said I could practice any spell I wanted to, as long as I had the magical energy to do it, and didn't overexertmy magical core?"

Harry sighed and nodded, "So you figured out ways to cast spells by coming up with methods that conserve magical energy."

"Yep!" she said with a grin.

"How many more spells have you figured out such ways?" he asked.

"Not many," she replied. "But, for some of those spells I wanted to try, and couldn't solve the magical energy quotient problem, I figured out whole new spells to replace them. And _those_ spells solve the energy problem."

"Good, God!" groaned Harry. "Tell me you haven't been fiddling with the blasting Curses and the like?"

"Okay," replied Hermione, "I haven't been fiddling with the blasting Curses and the like."

"Thank you!" said Harry, with feeling.

"I designed my own," said Hermione.

Harry dropped his head to his desk and groaned.

# # #

The rest of the school day went, thankfully, without any further incidences. Amelia arrived, as promised, with a team of aurors and they headed out into the Forbidden Forest. Some students had climbed into the upper reaches of the castle and were watching from the battlements over the forest for signs of the aurors in battle with the denizens therein.

Harry and Neville had thought about joining them, but decided to just wait for any report back in the Entry Hall. Some of those students came down for lunch and reported seeing a great deal of smoke rising from the centre of the forest, and some flashing spell light through the reaches of the trees. They couldn't see much else, though.

While the students were at lunch a couple of aurors brought a comrade back to the castle and straight to the infirmary for treatment to a wounded leg. He was sent back to the DMLE a few hours later. And two more aurors had arrived in the meantime. They, too, headed for the forest.

# # #

As dusk approached, Amelia and her team of weary aurors returned to the castle. Without Amelia, the aurors apparated back to the DMLE. Amelia hung back to report to the heirs that her aurors had eradicated the giant acromantulan nest and had cleared out a great many denizens that were a risk to the students. She said her aurors would return in a few days to go back into the forest to see if anything else had come out of hiding.

She also said, the herd of centaurs were not happy with her and her aurors for 'violating their territory' and heated words were exchanged. One of her aurors was injured by a centaur that tried to trample him. Harry said he'd wait a few days and go into the forest to talk to the centaurs. They needed to be aware the four heirs had taken back control of the lands of Hogwarts and, any treaty the centaurs believe they had to live in the forest, were moot.

He said that the centaurs would be told they could remain and live in peace in the forest. But, that was conditional on them keeping the forest clear of dark creatures. Any they couldn't handle were to be reported back to the four heirs, immediately. If they failed to do either of those two, then they'd no longer be welcome on Hogwarts' grounds, including within the forest.

Amelia nodded and said it was good idea. And that's when the castle alerted the four of the arrival of... guests... walking up from the gate to Hogsmeade.

Harry, already in the Entrance Hall looked out and back up the path. He could see two figures walking between two, what looked to be, dementors. Both walking were somewhat short and squat.

Susan, Neville and Hermione joined Harry after a couple of minutes. Neville said, "Well, it seems someone told the Minister."

Susan looked at her aunt and said, "Perhaps you should stay inside for this, Auntie 'Melia. There's no need for you to risk your career."

Amelia looked back at her young niece; pride filled her chest at the strong and determined young woman before her, "Okay, Lady Hufflepuff; if you wish," she replied. "But I'm going to be just behind the door and out of sight listening if Fudge or Umbridge try anything."

Harry and the other three walked outside to stand on the front steps awaiting their unexpected, and unwanted, guests.

Standing to Harry's right was Neville. And the young boy was getting more and more visibly upset. Harry didn't know if it was the sense of outrage coming from the castle over the presence of the dementors or not. But, Neville was still not happy.

When the party of four was no more than a hundred feet from them, Neville suddenly snarled, "I will _not_ allow this!" And he leapt forward, assuming his form as Grumpy as he did. He raced forward.

"No!" exclaimed Susan, reaching forward as if to pull Neville back. But the boy... the wolverine... was already racing away.

Harry and Hermione were in somewhat shock as Neville charged towards Fudge and his party. Neither of them had even had a chance to move before Umbridge suddenly squealed and tried to dive behind Fudge. Fudge already had his wand out and was pointing it at Grumpy. He fired a spell. "_Repulso!_" he bellowed. The two dementors surged forward.

Harry, though he felt he had quick reflexes, wasn't fast enough with hitting Neville with a summoning charm before the brown light of the banishing charm hit Grumpy. However, it had no effect. The light of the spell hit Grumpy but just... rippled... through the wolverine's body before flashing into the ground through the animagus's feet.

Before the shocked Minister could fire off a second spell Grumpy launched himself at the first of the two dementors. He hit it full-on in its chest and rode it to the ground. The Minister couldn't get off a second shot as Umbridge suddenly had hold of his arm while trying to hide behind him.

Hermione suddenly called out, "_Expecto Patronum!_" And a near-solid silvery owl shot forward and charged towards the first dementor before suddenly veering towards the second as Grumpy hit the first.

Harry, again, tried a summoning charm on Grumpy. Again, it failed.

A second later Grumpy reverted to Neville standing on the demon's chest. With his right hand held aloft and a cry of "Gryffindor!" the golden sword suddenly appeared in Neville's hand. He reversed the blade and drove it straight through the demon's head. It... squealed, but Neville was already moving again.

He dived forward towards the second dementor, which had halted its advance as Grumpy hit its... partner... and the patronus owl hit it, and was trying to reel back. Resuming his form as Grumpy, the wolverine dived past Fudge and Umbridge and, hitting the second dementor, bore it to the ground. Again, reverting to human form and calling the sword, this time from out of where it was sticking through the head of the first dementor, Neville drove it's tip through the head of the second dementor.

Turning, the still angry boy glared at the Minister and Umbridge before jogging back to the stairs and joining the other three heirs side-by-side. A few moments later the sword faded out of existence from where it was still sticking through the, now dead, second dementor.

Harry knew he wasn't the only one of the other three who were gaping at Neville in shock. The boy just stood there glaring back at Fudge and Umbridge.

By this time, Fudge had managed to extract himself from Umbridge's grip and was storming forward towards the four heirs.

Fudge roared at Neville, "_What_ do you _think_ you are _doing?_" Umbridge just hurried along behind him, still trying to clutch at the Minister. Fudge just outpaced her.

Neville only responded with his glare.

When the Minister was about ten feet short of the four, Neville simply raised his hand in the 'stop' gesture. Fudge stumbled to a halt with Umbridge colliding with his back. Fudge didn't seem to notice.

"Cornelius Fudge," snarled Neville, "what do you think _you're_ doing, bringing _dementors_ onto school grounds; and within _easy_ access of a_ school full of children unable to protect themselves?_"

Neville's response, increasing in vituperation and volume as he gave it, made Fudge rock back on his heels in shock.

"How _dare_ you..." shrilled Umbridge as she came out from behind Fudge. The woman had apparently found her backbone.

"Shut_ up_, lackey!" bellowed Neville right back in a snarl, cutting the woman off. She visibly cringed back from the ferocity of Neville's response.

"_I_ am the Earl of Gryffindor, _Lord _Gryffindor of the _Most_ Noble and _Most_ Ancient House of Gryffindor!" Neville continued to bellow. "And I _dare_ because this is _my_ home and you two _fools_ are _unwelcome_ here!"

Though he was in some shock himself, Harry had the presence of mind to think to himself, 'Go, Nev!'

Though also in shock, Fudge gathered himself and responded with a snarl of his own, "I am the Minister of Magic. And I've come..."

"No, you _bloody-well_ are not!" snarled back Neville, cutting the man off. "_You_ are the current Minister _for_ Magic... not _of_ Magic. You serve Her Majesty, the Queen!"

Fudge just stared back, gobsmacked. "I do _not_ serve that muggle _bitch_!"

Susan then spoke up and said, "That, Cornelius Fudge, is _sedition_ against the crown!"

"Madam Bones!" called Hermione over her shoulder.

Amelia then stepped around the door with wand drawn, followed by a couple of aurors, "Cornelius Fudge," she stated, "you are hereby under arrest for the crime of sedition. Surrender your wand and ready yourself for being placed into custody by the DMLE."

Fudge blustered, "I am the _Minister_. I _order_ you to stand down, Amelia!"

"Cornelius Fudge, you are currently under investigation for crimes, not the least of which is sedition against the crown, you have no authority to order anyone," stated Amelia. "Now, for the last time, ready yourself for being placed into custody by the DMLE!"

"I will not!" the old fool blustered yet again.

"_Stupefy!_" cast Amelia.

The spell hit the shocked man right in the middle of the chest. He crumpled on the spot.

"Bitch!" screeched Umbridge, drawing her wand from her off-sleeve. "I'll kill you!"

"_Stupefy!_" cast Amelia _and_ both her aurors, who were walking forward from the bottom of the steps at the time.

Umbridge managed to bat the first spell aside. But, the next two hit her in the middle of the chest. She crumpled to the ground managing to fall partly across Fudge's legs.

"What do you want to do with, soon-to-be-ex-Minister Fudge and his... lackey?" asked one of the aurors turning to look at Amelia with a smirk on her face.

Amelia sighed and said, "Take both of them and dump their butts in holding cells in the Ministry. You are to tell no one they are there outside of us three. No names, either. Just... call them by their docket numbers."

Both were mobilicorpused into the Entrance Hall and apparated away. While they were being taken, Amelia turned to the four and said, "And, I guess I'd better go and make sure neither attempts to bribe their way out." She gave Susan a kiss to her forehead and apparated away, herself.

After she'd left, Harry turned to Neville and said, "I guess we've also just discovered you actually do have a magical power in your animagus form, Nev. It looks like you're either resistant, or immune, from spells being cast at you. We'll have to experiment on that later."

Neville grinned and said, "I also didn't feel the effects of the dementors as Grumpy, either."

About ten minutes later, two more aurors arrived as the standing auror contingent for Hogwarts. Harry ensured the house elves prepared a suite for each of them not far from the hall.

The heirs returned to their owner's suites to await the evening meal.

# # #

That evening, just under twenty four, _long_, hours since the heirs had arrived at Hogwarts, the four heirs would sit down with the students for the evening meal. Harry had them all keyed in on the plan to prank Sirius. They entered, together.

As they all approached their seats at the heads of the table, they each stood by them. Hermione was the first to summon a house elf. In a clear voice, she asked, "Are all Ravenclaw students and staff present?" Professor Flitwick was seated at the foot of the table already.

"Yes, Missy Claw!" the elf replied.

"Thank you," she told the little elf, dismissing it.

Neville then called a house elf. He asked it, "Are all Gryffindor students and staff present?"

"No, Master Gryff'dor!" the elf replied.

"Really?" asked Neville. "And who is missing?"

"Professor Mac-lady, Master Gryff'dor" the elf replied. Professor McGonagall, as Acting Headmistress, was sitting at the head table, as befitted her acting position.

"Ah!" said Neville. "Well, I think we can excuse the Acting Headmistress. Anyone else?"

"No, Master Gryff'dor!" the elf replied.

"Thank you."

Susan call for and asked a house elf, "Are all Hufflepuff students and staff present?"

"Yes, Missy Huff'puff!" the elf replied.

"Thank you."

That left Harry last. He called a house elf and asked, "Are all Slytherin students and staff present?"

"No, Master Slyth'rin!" the elf replied.

"And who is missing?" asked Harry, already knowing the answer.

"Professor Black, Master Slyth'rin!" replied the house elf.

Harry turned to the head table, where Sirius was staring back in shock. He frowned at the man.

Sirius, already figuring out what was going on, pleaded, "Harry. Pup! You can't do this to me! I'm your godfather!"

"Sorry, Professor," replied Harry with a grin. He gestured to the foot of the table and said, "Your seat awaits!"

Remus was grinning like a loon and was trying to push Sirius out of his chair at the head table. "It looks like you're the new House Counsellor of Slytherin, _Professor Black_!"

"Pup!" cried Sirius. "C'mon, I'm a Gryffindor, through and through!"

Harry already had a counter argument for that one. "You're also a Black. And Blacks are famous for being Slytherins," he replied. "You even have a great-grandfather who was both a Slytherin and Headmaster of Hogwarts! You're in _fine_ company."

"Pup! Please, no!" Sirius exclaimed.

Harry, knowing his godfather was going to put up a bit of struggle turned to his First Years and said loud enough for the whole Hall to hear, "Well, it appears Professor Black wants to start a new tradition at Hogwarts. He wants to be dragged to his seat at the foot of the table for his first time. Please, do the man the honour; go and get him, and drag him to his seat."

A couple of the grinning First Years dashed up onto the dais and around the staff table. They each grabbed one of Sirius's elbows and dragged him around the front of the staff table, and down between the Houses to his seat at the foot of Slytherin table. Sirius was begging Harry to reconsider the whole way. Harry just grinned back and didn't say a word.

When the two First Years scurried back to their seats, Harry said, "Slytherin is now all present."

The other heirs, now all grinning, placed a palm each on the table and ordered the meal be served, as did Harry.

Professor McGonagall, with a wide grin on her face, did the same for the head table, now depleted by one staff member.

Sirius may have been reticent to be the House Counsellor for Slytherin, but that didn't stop him from engaging in conversation with the Seventh Years down at his end. By part way through the meal he was deep in conversation with a whole bunch of them. He had them enthralled with some business or other. Harry guessed, looking at some of the looks aimed his way, that Sirius was already planning his revenge. And, he was going to do it using the Seventh Years of his own house. Harry thought that would be rather unfair of the man.

Harry answered more questions from First Years, and a couple of the Second Years, who asked down the length of the table. He still had in the back of his mind both the subject of the next morning's talk, and having to deal with the giant basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.

# # #

The next morning, after breakfast, the Great Hall was, again, configured into a lecture theatre. The surprise was the return of Albus Dumbledore at breakfast. Harry could see the man was annoyed over two new staff members in the Great Hall, and that four staff members were now sitting at the foot of the four House tables. Professor McGonagall was now sitting at the foot of the Gryffindor table.

Harry also received a summons by owl from the Wizengamot to attend a special meeting called for that evening. He noticed Sirius, down the other end, also received one. Sirius frowned back at him. It was clear the Wizengamot now had wind of what had happened at Hogwarts two nights earlier. And they wanted to know what was going on.

As breakfast finished, the Headmaster called Harry to join him. Harry walked up to face the Headmaster across the staff table.

"Harry, my boy," greeted the old man. "I'm sorry we didn't get an opportunity, the night before last, to chat. Would you mind joining me in my office in about half an hour?"

"Certainly, Headmaster," replied Harry. "Is this a student matter, a family matter or a Hogwarts business matter?"

The Headmaster frowned and said, "I... would just like to chat, if you don't mind."

"Then, I'll treat it as a student matter," said Harry. "In that case, it's 'Mister Potter', _not_ 'Harry, my boy', and I'll see you then."

Harry returned to his table and the Headmaster quickly left the Hall. Professor Snape left through the same door only a minute later.

After he left, Harry walked down to the other end of the table to join his godfather. Asking one of the Seventh Years at the end of the row to slide across a bit, Harry said to Sirius, "The Headmaster just asked me to join him in his office immediately after breakfast. Do you feel like coming along?"

"Do you think he's going to try something?" asked Sirius.

"I'm almost sure of it," replied Harry.

Sirius nodded and said, "Then I'm happy to. What do you think he's going to try?"

"Oh, he's _definitely_ going to try to get things back under his own control," replied Harry. "I think he's going to start with requesting I 'give up this Lord Slytherin nonsense' and, at least, hand him the wards back. He may even be stupid enough to attempt a Legilimens attack upon me."

Sirius cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Really? You think he'll try?"

"Oh, yeah!" replied Harry with a grin.

"But," spluttered Adrian Pucey, one of the Seventh Years, "that's illegal!"

"Come now, Mister Pucey," remonstrated Harry. "What does its legality have to do with it? Did you honestly believe the so-called Leader of the Light would not stoop to such a level?"

"Well... yes, actually," said Pucey.

Harry just snorted. Turning to his godfather, he said, "Educate them on the difference between light and dark, and good and evil, Professor. It sounds like an excellent lesson for DADA, too." He winked at his godfather before he then returned to his own end of the table, leaving behind a chuckling DADA Professor.

As breakfast was winding to a close the mail was delivered. This was the first incoming mail after the four heirs taking their rightful places became public. Harry knew any mail addressed to him, specifically, would be intercepted by the DMLE and then Dobby, taken first to the DMLE before going on to Potter Manor. Dobby had all of Harry's mail sorted and laid out in his private study in his suite. Only official Gringotts and Ministery mail, the latest _Daily Prophet_ and _The Quibbler_ were allowed directly through.

As the mail was delivered a little owl flying somewhat... wonkily... flew a bit of a zigzag pattern before heading for Hermione. It dropped a red envelope that appeared to be smoking slightly. The envelope fell until it was hovering about three feet in front of Hermione's face, still smoking away.

Harry knew what it was and was out of his chair as it was still falling. He walked towards Hermione tapping Susan on the shoulder on the way past. Neville also recognised it for what it was and rose to join the other two as they headed for Hermione.

Hermione, not knowing what it was, was slowing reaching out to touch it when it suddenly flared open into a mouth and began screaming at her. Harry and the other two were behind Hermione in an instant. Harry laid a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder from one side while Neville was on the other doing the same thing.

_"How _dare_ you people usurp the Headmaster in his own school! Albus Dumbledore is a _great_ man who _deserves_ everyone's respect. _

_"How _dare_ you have him arrested! If I had my way you'd be _thrown out on your butts_, have your wands _snapped_ and sent out into the muggle world. You're a _disgrace_!_

_"You will _hand back_ control of the school to the Headmaster _immediately_! My husband works for _the Ministry_ and I will have him push through for your _immediate_ arrest! The wizarding world _will not stand_ for this _outrage_!_

_"Now _give us back_ our school, you _thieves_!"_

The envelope then shredded itself before disappearing in a small flash of flame. Everyone in the Great Hall was looking back in shock.

Harry looked up, gave Hermione's shoulder a quick squeeze before calling across from the head of the Ravenclaw table, "Whose parent was that?"

No one responded for a moment before Neville looked towards his own table and called, "Messengers Weasley! Was that your mother?"

Ron tried to climb under the table from his seat on the benches, while the twins just looked at each other before looking back. It was Percy Weasley, the oldest of the Weasley's still at the school, who stood and, with his chin firmly raised and lips compressed into a grim line replied, "Yes, My Lord, that was our mother."

Harry looked at the older boy and demanded, "Right, who is your Head of House?"

Percy visibly flinched before regathering himself and replying, "My father, Arthur Weasley." Knowing what the next question would be he said, "He works at the Ministry. He is Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office within the DMLE."

Harry nodded and quietly called, "Dobby!"

*Pop* The little elf stood alongside him looking up adoringly with a printer's cap on his head and a quill seeming stuck behind his ear with a sticking charm. He looked like a caricature of an editor. "Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir?"

After getting over the 'look' of his crazy little house elf, Harry leaned down and quietly said, "Get me a couple of sheets of howler parchment and a self-inking quill."

"Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir!" replied Dobby, before disappearing with another pop. He was back seconds later with the required items having them placed on the table next to Hermione's right hand.

Harry leaned over the end of the table and began to write.

After he had finished writing, Harry asked the other three, "Are we agreed?"

"Yes, Lord Slytherin," the other three all said in near unison.

Harry then leaned forward again and signed his name, followed by each of the other three.

Looking up out over the four House tables while the others were signing, everyone had stopped what they were doing and were staring back in not a little fear. Once the document was signed Harry picked up the slip of ensorcelled parchment and began to read:

_"Arthur Septimus Weasley, _Head_ of the Elder House of Weasley; _your wife_, Molly Weasley, had the _gall_... the sheer _effrontery_... to send a howler to us, the four _Heads_, _Lords_ and _Ladies_ all, of the four _Most Noble and Most Ancient_ Houses of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. _

_"She had the _impudence_ to make _demands_ of us _well_ outside any bounds of _civility_ or even _basic common sense_!_

_"This breach of etiquette _must not go unpunished_!_

"You_, Sir, will get your House in _order_ or you will feel our _wrath_ upon you, personally, _and your House_!_

_"Our tolerance is _limited_. It has now expired!_

_"Signed,_

_"Lord Neville Francis Longbottom, Earl Gryffindor_

_"Lord Harry James Potter, Earl Slytherin_

_"Lady Hermione Jean Granger, Countess Ravenclaw_

_"Lady Susan Charity Bones, Countess Hufflepuff_

While he was reading, Harry heard not a few gasps of shock from people who knew exactly what he meant with his choice of words. The four Weasleys at the Gryffindor table had turned white. Percy and Ron had both turned a little green.

When he was done Harry placed the parchment back upon the table and folded it. Then, drawing his wand, he placed the tip of it in the middle of the created envelope. The other three's wands joined his.

"I want his office door blown open from the sound," said Harry. "Ready?... _Pump it!_"

When they were done the envelope wasn't smoking; it was burning with black flames. It rose to hover about a foot off the table. The closest Ravenclaws were quickly moving away from it down the benches.

"Dobby!" called Harry softly.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir?"

"Take this," he said, indicating the now well over-charged howler, "and let go of it in the air about two feet forward and five feet above the desk of Arthur Weasley in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office in the Ministry. You'll find it on the second floor, near the Aurors' offices. Do not, under any circumstances, wait around. The noise will be quite loud.

"Yes Sir, Master Harry Potter, Sir!"

And both elf and howler disappeared with a pop. An official Ministry letter was left in its place addressed to Harry as Lord Potter. Harry opened it and found it to be a summons to attend a special Wizengamot meeting for that evening.

He looked over at Sirius and found the man waving his own summons back.

Harry then took the other three heirs aside to let them know he'd been 'summoned' to the Headmasters office after breakfast. And, that he and Sirius had also received summonses to a special meeting of the Wizengamot for that evening. He told them that though it was not time for them to take their places on that supposedly august board, they should attend, anyway. They'd head for Gringotts as late into the afternoon, as possible. And they'd have the magics of _all_ the rings unblocked.

Harry suggested Susan and Neville advise their Aunt and Grandmother, accordingly.

The rest of the students and staff in the Great Hall returned to their breakfasts as they'd moved away a bit to talk quietly.

# # #

A few moments later, upon the second floor of the Ministry, Amelia could hear the four bellowing voices of the four founders ring out from the direction of Arthur Weasley's little office he shared with Cliff Perkins. Amelia strode to her office door, opened it and... just listened.

After the clearly overcharged howler ended, and she'd have to ask Susan and the others how they managed to get a howler into the DMLE through the mail owl redirection wards, she looked out across the desks of her Aurors currently within the building. "Well?" she told them. "You've got work to do, haven't you?"

A small sea of stunned faces looked away and returned to their duties. She just gave a low, throaty chuckle and, returning to her office, closed the door behind herself.

A few minutes later, she received a knock on her door.

"Enter!" she called.

Arthur Weasley stepped into the room and, in a loud voice, said, "Excuse me, Ma'am! I wonder if I may take a few minutes to duck home for a few minutes! I have House business to attend to!"

Trying not to smile back, Amelia replied, "Arthur, don't yell at me. I can hear you quite clearly."

"Pardon?" said Arthur clearly confused in his loud voice. He appeared a little deaf.

Openly smiling, Amelia took out a piece of parchment and wrote upon it:

_You may go. But take yourself off to the infirmary first. Your hearing is clearly causing you problems._

And handed it to Arthur.

Arthur took the parchment slip, read it, nodded and said, still loudly, "Thank you, Ma'am!" Before walking back out the door.

# # #

As soon as Sirius had finished his breakfast... he was not a morning person... he and Harry headed for the Headmaster's office. This year it was up on the sixth floor in its own tower. But, was accessible through a moving staircase on the third.

As an owner, Harry didn't need the password to have the gargoyle step aside and activate the stairs. It practically leapt aside as he and Sirius approached. They were quickly whisked upwards to the landing outside the door of the Headmaster's offices and private apartments.

On knocking, Harry heard the Headmaster call, "Come in, Harry!"

Followed by his godfather and Counsellor of his House, Harry walked in. He wasn't surprised to find the Headmaster sitting behind his desk, or Professor Snape standing off to one side. He also left the part of his Occlumency shields that gave entry to his mind trap open.

"You wanted to chat with me, Headmaster?" asked Harry.

"Yes, yes," replied the old man. He looked over at Sirius and said, "Thank you... Professor Black. I've got it from here. You may leave."

Sirius smirked and said, "Well, thank you, Headmaster. But, I'll be staying."

The Headmaster frowned and said, "Come now, Sirius. Harry is in Slytherin and his Head of House, Professor Snape, here, is with him. You can go."

Harry raised his hand in a 'stop' gesture and said to the Headmaster, "You have been... absent... for a day and half, Headmaster. Clearly, you have not had time to avail yourself of the knowledge of which the rest of the staff, and the student body, are now aware.

"As Lord Slytherin, _I_ am automatically Head of House Slytherin. The role of _House Counsellor_, so the students will have an adult in which to confide, was offered to Professor Snape. _He declined it_! The position is now held by Professor Black.

"So, as Professor Snape is no longer affiliated with House Slytherin, just _what_ is he doing here?"

From over where he was standing Professor Snape grumbled and glared back. Harry heard him mutter, "Arrogant git!"

The Headmaster huffed and replied, "Professor Snape has my full confidence and faith. I trust him, completely."

"Well, I'm happy for you, Headmaster," said Harry _almost_ snidely. "But it still doesn't answer my question. Just what is Professor Snape doing here?"

Professor Snape interrupted and snarled, "Arrrgh... Potter! _You're an arrogant git_, just like your father!"

As the man was snarking, Harry drew his wand. On the Professor's last word he raised his wand at the man and called, "Stupefy!"

The professor, a skilled duellist, was able to draw his wand and bat the Hex aside at the last moment. "_Potter!_" he exclaimed.

"_Harry!_" cried the Headmaster. "What are you _doing_?!"

Ignoring the Headmaster, Harry held his wand pointed at the Professor and snapped ,"Severus Snape, I have _warned_ you! If you insult my family again, even if they are deceased, expect to be suitably dealt with! And I _won't_ be holding back."

The Headmaster, rising to his feet, spluttered, "_Harry_.. _Severus_... please! There is no need for this!"

Professor Snape half-snarled, "The boy needs to be put into his place, Headmaster."

"Severus, _please!_" begged the Headmaster. "You really shouldn't have attacked young Harry's father."

The professor grumbled a bit but settled back down.

"It's time for him to leave, Headmaster," said Harry.

The Headmaster, again, said, "As I said, Professor Snape has my full confidence and faith. I trust him, completely."

Harry replied, "And, _again_, Headmaster, I'm happy for you. But, it's time for him to leave."

Undeterred, the Headmaster soldiered on, "Harry, please. I just wanted to have a friendly chat. Now, how was your first full day at Hogwarts?"

Harry, however, was not to be denied. He snapped, "You'll have your answers once Professor Snape leaves, Headmaster."

"I'm just asking some friendly questions, Harry," soldiered on the Headmaster. "_Surely_, you see no harm in that?"

Harry, again, snapped, "I said, you'll have your answers once Professor Snape leaves, Headmaster. This is your last chance."

The Headmaster sighed, "Surely, some polite questions..."

Harry interrupted. "Professor Black!" he called. He spun around and said to his godfather, "We're out of here!"

"_Wait!_" cried Dumbledore.

When Harry turned to look at him, he said, "_Alright_, Harry." He turned to Professor Snape and said, "Severus; perhaps you and Professor Black would care to leave us alone for a bit?"

Professor Snape stormed off back out of the office saying to Sirius as he went, "Come on, Black!"

Before leaving, Sirius asked Harry, "Are you sure, Pup?"

"I'll be fine, Sirius," replied Harry.

Harry watched as they both left the office. Once the two men had gone he turned back towards the Headmaster. "Now, what..."

Harry felt the immediate attack on his mental shields. Dumbledore had hit him, hard.

Harry raised his wand and hit the Headmaster with a Banishing Charm. At the close range they were apart, the Charm blasted the Headmaster backwards out of his chair and into the wall.

Before the Headmaster even fully felt the effects of the Curse, Harry summoned the Headmaster's wand to him; but, immediately dropped it onto the man's desk, before the old man had even realised what had happened and noticed.

Dumbledore scampered to his feet while Harry just stood there. He looked around for his wand and saw it on the desk. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he'd only dropped it.

He bent down and righted his chair.

Harry said, "Try that again, _Albus_, and you're through as Headmaster of Hogwarts. There will be no second warning. You'll just be thrown off the grounds."

The Headmaster seemed to have ignored what Harry said. However, as soon as he reached for his wand, Harry raised the tip of his own and said, "Don't even _think_ about it!" And the Headmaster's hand froze in place. "And you will _immediately_ stop calling me _Harry_!"

Taking his hand away from reaching, the Headmaster placed both hands on the arms of his chair and adjusted it so he was, again, sitting properly at his desk.

He said, "I don't know why you felt the need to do that, Harry..."

"_That's it_!" interrupted Harry. "Shut the hell up, old man. We're done! You have a lecture to attend at 9.00am, sharp, in the Great Hall. If you are not there on time you will be _brought_... against your will, if need be... and _put_ in the Hall in clear view of everyone." He spun on his foot and stalked out of the office.

The Headmaster tried to call him back, but Harry didn't even care to listen.

After he was gone, Dumbledore reached out and grabbed his wand off the desk. With it back in his hand he noticed something... off. The wand seemed to no longer accept him.

# # #

At The Burrow, there was a flash of floo flame in the fireplace and Arthur stepped out.

"_Molly!_" he bellowed.

Coming in to the parlour, Molly Weasley asked, "Arthur? What are you doing home..."

Whirling about and clearly quite livid, Arthur turned to where his wife walked in. "_Shut it, woman!_" he bellowed.

"Arthur!" his wife gasped, reeling back in shock.

"Get your _arse_ back in the kitchen! Right _now_!" he bellowed, stalking towards her.

Molly scampered back in through the way she'd come with Arthur stalking towards her. She rounded the kitchen table as he entered, almost terrified of the man before her.

"Arthur, what is..." she tried again.

Cutting her off, Arthur bellowed back, "I said _shut it, woman!_"

Again, Molly reeled back; this time, remaining silent with her fingers held towards her mouth. She seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"You will go and get me _all_ the howler parchment you have. And you will do it now!" bellowed Arthur, no less upset.

Without a word, Molly raced across the kitchen and removed several sheets of parchment from a drawer in a china cabinet. She turned towards Arthur with them in her hand and carefully walked over to him barely close enough to hand them to him.

Snatching them from her hand, Arthur strode over to the oven and opened the doors to the banked fire within. Without a moment's thought he tossed the sheaf inside and slammed the doors closed.

Spinning back around to face his wife, Arthur commanded in an ominous voice, "Molly Weasley, you will _never_ again _ever_ send a howler, or even a _curt letter_, to _anyone_! Do I make myself _perfectly_ clear?"

"But, Arthur..." she tried.

"_Don't_ '_but_' me, woman!" he snapped. "You _will_ obey my _command_!"

Shrinking back a little, Molly replied, "Y-yes, Arthur." She had _never_ seen her normally placid husband this... riled... before. Not as he truly was, the Head of two Elder Houses, Weasley and, through her, Prewett.

"You," roared Arthur pointing his finger, "through your _unconscionable_ actions, have brought this _House_ into direct confrontation with _four_," he held forth four fingers on his left hand, "Noble and Most Ancient Houses!"

"I have no _choice_ left to me! I _have_ to go to the four of them and _beg them_ for leniency for, not just my _House_, but for _you_!" he continued to roar. "They _have_ the _right_ to demand of me _justice_!"

Molly collapsed to the floor, sobbing. It had finally begun to seep into her awareness just what she'd done.

# # #

At 9.00am, Harry and the four heirs were already standing on the dais with the same configuration of chairs and blackboards as the previous day. The Headmaster had tried to approach Harry to talk to him before the hour, but Harry ignored the man only gruffly directing him to take seat. The last few student stragglers entered the Hall and quickly found seats.

Hermione called a house elf and asked, "Are all students and staff present in the Great Hall?"

"Yes, Missy Claw!" the elf replied.

"Thank you," she replied.

Harry then spoke out over the assembled students and staff. "The reason for this entire school lesson is we're here to talk about one of the most ruthless Dark Wizards of the century, and the vast majority of you do not even know his name," he said.

That had a number of students muttering amongst themselves. They had no idea of whom Harry could possibly be referring. He looked down at Dumbledore and noticed the man appeared quite worried. He had good reason to be.

"The name of this dark wizard, was Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Dumbledore jumped to his feet and spluttered, "_No! You must not talk of this! I forbid it!_"

Susan said in a firm voice, "Sit down, Headmaster; or you will be restrained. You're in no position to forbid anything."

Dumbledore continued to splutter, "You will _cease_ this _immediately_! It's not for the chiiii..."

Ropes had sprung from the tip of Neville's wand straight at the old man. Dumbledore tried to avoid it by stepping back but it caused him to tumble backwards back into his chair. Neville's ropes then bound him to it. Hermione then hit him with the Silencing Charm. Dumbledore could be seen continuing to rant. Some of the students watched, dumbfounded, by what had happened to their Headmaster.

"Now," said Harry. "As I was saying, Tom Marvolo Riddle; so-called dark wizard. For those who don't recognise the name... And I'm pretty sure that's all of you, except the headmaster... you'll find reference to it and him up in Hogwarts's trophy room. He won an award for services to the school in 1943. And he was also Head Boy back in 1945. When you get an opportunity, go and take a look for yourselves."

Harry then wrote, in big letters and with wide spacing, the name TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE across the top of the centre black board. About twelve inches below it he drew a series of dashes. They were spaced; one, two, four and nine, with a gap between each grouping. - . - - . - - - - . - - - - - - - - -.

In turns, each of the heirs covered Riddle's conception, emphasising he was born both a bastard and a half blood, that his mother died shortly after childbirth, and that his uncle sent him to grow up in an inner London orphanage for mundane children. That he later returned to the place of his birth and slew his entire remaining family, including his birth father, who had refused to acknowledge him.

They covered his time in Hogwarts, including how it was he, and not Hagrid, who had opened the Chamber of Secrets. And then they went into his early adult life, covering his time as a sales clerk at Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley, before he fled to Albania.

"So, now that this dark wizard has been described for you in detail, who can tell me why you don't know his name?"

Dumbledore was actually bouncing in his chair. His face was turning an interesting shade of puceas he tried to yell his way past the Silencing Charm. No one was any longer paying him the least attention.

Hermione asked the crowd, "So, how is it that _none_ of you, except for the Headmaster... who was the Transfigurations Professor here at Hogwarts when young Tom was a student... know of him?"

Still no raised hands with answers.

Harry said, "Well, the answer is pretty simple. He changed his name. And, he needed people to believe he was a pureblood of noble birth. He took his name, as it appears on the top of the blackboard here... Tom Marvolo Riddle... and played a simple mundane _child's_ game with it, called an anagram. It was his own little private joke on purebloods. What he did was rearrange the letters like so..."

Harry then started crossing letters off, left to right, and moving them to the lines of dashes.

- . - - . - - - - . - - - - - - - - T.

- . - - . - O - - . - - - - - - - - T.

- . - - . - O - - . - - - - - M - - T.

- . - M . - O - - . - - - - - M - - T.

- . AM . - O - - . - - - - - M - - T.

Five letters in and Harry could hear students whispering among themselves. Many of the mundane raised, of course, knew what an anagram was. And they were trying to beat Harry to the answer. Harry just worked methodically through the letters, without pausing.

- . AM . - O - - . - - - - - M - RT.

- . AM . - O - - . V - - - - M - RT.

Some of the others were starting to talk louder. The first letter of the name was the big giveaway for many of them.

- . AM . - O - - . VO - - - M - RT.

- . AM . LO - - . VO - - - M - RT.

- . AM . LO - - . VO - - - MORT.

More students were starting to catch on to what Harry was doing. As each letter was scratched off the name they could see the new name developing. The brighter ones, especially from Ravenclaw, had already figured it out.

- . AM . LOR - . VO - - - MORT.

I . AM . LOR - . VO - - - MORT.

And a few more... Harry heard a mutter of, "Oh, my God!" and "That's incredible!"

I . AM . LORD . VO - - - MORT.

I . AM . LORD . VO - D - MORT.

Two to go and it was starting to get quite loud behind Harry. Neville, Susan and Hermione were glaring at staff and students, alike. Susan called, "_Be quiet!_"

"_You lie!_" screeched young Draco Malfoy. "It's not true! It _can't_ be true!"

Susan replied, "I assure you, Mister Malfoy. It most definitely _is_ true. And that's a further a five points against you!"

I . AM . LORD . VOLD - MORT.

I . AM . LORD . VOLDEMORT.

With the last letter scratched off and the anagram filled, Harry placed the piece of chalk on the bottom edge of the blackboard and turned around. Susan, Hermione and Neville were issuing five point deductions left, right and centre. It did not matter whose House the student was in, if they were making a fuss, and one of the heirs saw it, they were deducted five points. Some students were deducted multiple times because they wouldn't be quiet.

The worst offenders were, of course, the Slytherins. First Years Malfoy, Nott and Parkinson; Second Years Urquhart and Mulciber; Sixth Year Bole; and Seventh Years Montague and Pucey. All were deducted five points twice. Harry was beginning to wonder if he'd have any students left in Slytherin before much longer, if this kept up. And he wondered if young Draco was going to make it to the end of the month.

Using a Sonorous Charm Harry yelled, "_Be silent!_"

Eventually, calm was restored to the Hall. A student from Ravenclaw, who had their hand raised since before the last letter was transcribed was called upon by Hermione.

"Yes, Mister Chambers?" she asked.

Warren Chambers, a Second Year, asked, "He's not real? Not a real Lord, I mean?"

"No.. and Yes," Hermione replied. "In the mundane world, for Riddle... and that's his real name, by the way; not the nonsense one he made up while a student here at Hogwarts... for Riddle to have been a Lord he would have had to have been accepted as the mundane Lord Tom Riddle's true heir. He never was. And Riddle killed him for it."

Susan continued, "Riddle wanted to rule the world. He knew to accomplish that feat he needed people who believed him capable of it. He needed money and support. The place to get that in magical Britain was from the purebloods. He needed their financial support and political power.

"So, he purported to be a pureblood Lord and then told them what they wanted to hear. He gave them an enemy, the mundanes and the mundane born, and told them it was the mundanes who were the cause of their problems. Adolph Hitler did _exactly_ the same thing when he told the German peoples it was the Jews who were the cause of _their_ problems. In other words, he lied."

Neville said, "What Riddle didn't know... but would have if he'd ever bothered to go into Gringotts and have the heirs test... was that, after he killed his maternal uncle, he became the last of the line of Salazaar Slytherin. That would have made him Lord Slytherin by right of magical inheritance _if_ he'd ever bothered to find out.

"When Riddle attacked the Potters he was, at the time, the _presumptive_ heir of Slytherin. Lily Potter had cast truly old magics about the crib of the infant Harry. She had discovered how to stop the killing curse. But, it required her sacrificing her _own_ life, and using her life energy, to power the wards. She knew Riddle's main target was Harry Potter. But, she wasn't going to let him get past her to infant Harry without him having to kill her first."

Hermione continued, "So, Riddle attacked the Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow. And he was able to do that, even with the Fidelius Charm in place, because Peter Pettigrew, his spy in the Order of the Phoenix, was also the Secret Keeper. Riddle attacked and killed James Potter in the downstairs living area. Then went upstairs to the nursery. Lily Potter stood in front of the crib and refused Riddle a clean shot at Harry. He killed her. And, in the process, Lily's life energy flowed into the wards around Harry.

"When Riddle then cast his killing curse at Harry, the killing curse bounced off the wards. But it did leave Harry with a scar where part of Riddle's shattered soul hit him, forming a soul leech in his head behind the scar."

That bit of news caused a bit of a ruckus. Harry called, "_Be silent_... if you want to hear the entire story, or you will be tossed out!"

Hermione went on. "So, Riddle was killed by _Lily_ Potter's magics. And, due to the end of line clause on the line of Salazaar Slytherin, the title should have flowed to Lily. However, as she was already dead, it passed directly to _her_ heir, Harry Potter. That's why, when Lord Slytherin here..." She indicated Harry, "... took his oath before the Slytherin table a couple nights ago, he gave it by claiming the title through magical inheritance _and right of conquest_."

Harry said, "For those worried I still have a soul leech behind the scar on my forehead, fear not. It has been removed and no longer poses a threat."

He went on to say, "Now you know the truth. Voldemort... Yes, I have _no_ problem calling him by his silly little made-up anagramatic name... was a _liar_ who found a weak spot in the minds of his followers, and _exploited_ it. All those who called themselves Death Eaters bowed before the feet of a half blood bastard, and called him Lord."

Neville said, "The information we've given you today is all easily verifiable. Go up to the trophy room and look in the cases. There's a picture of Tom Riddle there from when he earned his award for services to the school in 1943. His name also appears as Head Boy for 1945. Then compare that picture to the early pictures of Voldemort. You'll easily see they're the same person for _yourselves_."

Hermione said, "Now stop referring to him as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' or 'You-Know-Who'. You sound _ridiculous_ to those who know better. Better yet, call him by his real name, Tom Riddle, if the name Voldemort scares you so much."

Even after the demonstration they were just provided, some of the magically raised children still gasped in shock each time Voldemort's name was spoken aloud. Hermione just frowned deeper back.

A mundane born Second Year Gryffindor, Alicia Spinnet, asked, "But why doesn't everybody know this? I mean, if it's supposed to be so easy to find out?"

Harry replied, "That's a very good question, and one everyone should be asking. Five points, Miss Spinnet, isn't it?"

Alicia Spinnet nodded.

Harry continued, "The reason why people don't find out for themselves is because they make wild leaps of assumption. They assume something as fact. Then, when pretty much everyone else makes the same assumption, they believe they must be right. When, in fact, they're not. Or, somebody tells them something is fact when they don't actually know for themselves.

"Here's a question I don't expect you to answer. However, it's a question I expect you to keep in mind as often as possible. If everyone believes a lie to be true, does it make it true? The answer, of course, is of course _not_. But, it happens with astonishing regularity in the magical world. As students, it's your _mandate_ to question what people believe to be true. Don't just accept things at face value all the time."

Neville said, "Here's a good example of that. Question: Does electricity work around magic users?"

A couple of people raised their hands. Neville called on a Ravenclaw student who was the quickest. "Miss?"

"Chang; Cho Chang," the Eurasian girl replied. "No, it doesn't. Everyone knows that. But you're about to say everyone's wrong, right?"

Neville chuckled and replied, "Correct, Miss Chang; on the second part, that is. Five points. The reason magical Britain believe electricity... and, by extension, electrical items... don't work around magic is because of Hogwarts. Back almost a century ago, when electricity started to enter the mainstream of life for British citizens, a Hogwarts Headmaster thought electricity was dangerous. And he didn't want witches and wizards '_playing_' with it.

"So, he added to the Hogwarts wards a spell, a magical field, that would cause any electrical item brought into Hogwarts to fail. The more sensitive to electrical fluctuations the item; the faster it would fail. So, things like battery powered fans would work for a while, but modern electronics would fail within hours of being brought in. And, since almost every witch or wizard in magical Britain learned to control their magic through attending Hogwarts, he was able to make people believe at a young age that electricity and magic can't co-exist."

Susan said, "And now we're going to stop that from happening." She glanced toward the ceiling and said, "Lady Hogwarts; please drop the ward that causes electricity to fail."

The four heirs felt the spell fade away. "It's done," said Susan. "From now on, electricity and magic _does_ mix in harmony; here, in Hogwarts."

Neville mused, "I had been wondering for quite some time why, if magic and electricity didn't mix, Diagon Alley didn't cause the very close-by mundane buildings to have electricity problems. Think about it for a moment; if there _was_ supposed to be a problem, then mundane electricians would have been swarming about the place trying to find the source of it. It would have meant Diagon Alley, for starters, would have been found by the mundane world _long_ ago. The same applies to the Ministry for Magic and St Mungo's Hospital. And yet, they never have. That should be proof enough. Yet no one has ever questioned it."

Harry said, "The problem is one to do with logic. By all logic, to the normal person, magic should not be able to work. It _defies_ logic. You have to accept magic works _on face value_. Accept it, don't question it and _believe_ it. Now, we all know it does work, and the reason it works has to do with what's known by mundanes as high energy physics. But that sort of knowledge is debated, even today, by mundanes who have gone on to study doctorates... that's the level _above_ Mastery and can take about an extra four years of study to reach... and they've _still_ not found the empirical proof.

"If a magical is told something is fact, they've been conditioned to believe it to be true. They won't, and probably don't know how to, question that so-called fact and discover the answer for themselves. So, that's why a good, _logical_ question will see you earn five points from one of us. You can call it, positive conditioning."

Anthony Goldstein, a Ravenclaw mundane raised First Year, asked, "So, if we asked a logical question that progresses from what's being taught, we get points?"

"Yes, Mister Goldstein," replied Hermione with a grin. "And, to self-reference demonstrate, that question just earned you five points."

"Sweet!" said the pleased boy.

Finally raising his hand and waiting to be called upon, Draco asked in a surly manner, "And what if I prove you wrong?"

"Then you receive double the points," replied Neville, matter-of-factly. "You will _never_ receive points against you for asking an honest, logical question. And, if a staff member _does_ deduct points from you for it, come and see us. We'll rectify it. But, it has to be an honest question, rather than one asked to be surly or insulting. I'll over look the tone in which you asked your question... this time. And award you five points for it."

Hermione said, "Folks, by all means, set out to prove us wrong. We _invite_ you to do so! But, even if you can't, we expect you to be honest with us and everyone else about the research you undertook to prove it. Even though you don't prove us wrong, the effort you put into it can earn you points."

Susan asked, "Are there any further questions?... No?... Then we break for morning tea. Please, quietly exit the Hall so it can be reconfigured for normal use."

Harry said, "And there will be another school-wide class, like today and yesterday, same time tomorrow morning. You are welcome to discuss amongst yourselves, outside of normal classes, the material given to you today. And, as always, we're available for you to talk to; except for a time, this evening, when the four of us have another appointment."

Harry finally released Dumbledore from his binding and Silencing Charm. The old man just sat there with his head bowed. Harry had no idea when the man finally left the Hall.

# # #


	23. Dumbledore's Eviction

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three - Dumbledore's Eviction

The rest of the day went pretty normal for a week day at Hogwarts. Classes recommenced after morning tea and progressed into late afternoon. Classes normally scheduled for first thing in the morning were, where possible, rescheduled to occur during the late afternoon.

That afternoon the four heirs had planned to retire to the own chambers to discuss the day's highlights, and to plan their talk for the next morning. It was going to be the last, and the culmination of the first two. It would give the student body, and the staff, the whole reason why the heirs had come forth; the prophecy.

However, soon after 4.00pm they received a knock on the door. Harry answered it to find an auror standing before him. Just beyond his shoulder he saw a neatly, but cheaply, dressed red haired man in his mid forties.

"Lord Slytherin," said the auror, "there's a Mister Weasley who seeks audience with you."

Harry nodded and said, "Thank you, Auror." Then, looking at Arthur, he said, "Come in, Mister Weasley."

Arthur stepped through into the owner's common room very nervously. Here was a man who was clearly afraid, both for himself and his family.

Harry gestured towards the couches and said, "Take a seat, Mister Weasley."

Arthur moved over to sit on one of the couches. He was clearly still very nervous.

Harry smiled at him and, walking back to take his own seat, called for Dobby.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir?" asked the little elf.

"Dobby", replied Harry, "could you organise for us some tea? And, perhaps, something a little stronger for Mister Weasley here."

"Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir!" *Pop*

Very quickly there appeared a serving of tea on the coffee table between them. Plus, a small bottle of firewhiskey and a shot glass within Arthur's reach.

After Harry made himself a cup of tea, without looking up at the clearly defeated man sitting opposite, who hadn't moved since he'd sat down, he quietly said, "Alright, Mister Weasley; you may as well say what you feel you need to say."

The other three heirs were all making their own beverages and were letting Harry, as per usual, handle it.

"My Lord," said Arthur. "After your... message... I went home to see my wife. Until I... ummm... yelled at her, and told her what she'd done wrong, she didn't understand she'd done _anything_ wrong. She had been talking with Dumbledore, and he'd told her that four... children... had... effectively... stolen Hogwarts from him. And..."

Interrupting, Harry quietly said, "Stop."

Arthur's head snapped up but immediately fell silent.

"When did she talk to Dumbledore?" Harry quietly asked.

"Last night. He floo-called her directly, apparently, from his office," replied Arthur. "It was after I went to bed after a hard day of work."

"That manipulative old _bastard_!" hissed Susan. "He _played_ her! He _knew_ how she'd react and he _used it_!"

Neville softly growled while Hermione gasped, "_Susan_!"

"What?" asked Arthur. "I... don't understand."

Looking back at Arthur, Harry called the older man's attention back to him. "Arthur... How long have you and your wife known Dumbledore?"

"Years," replied Arthur. "Decades even. He was the Headmaster here when we were both students. And he was the Headmaster well before we arrived for our first year. Why?"

"So," replied Harry, "he would know _exactly_ how your wife would react if he made it seem like four children had stolen something from him, right?"

Arthur frowned and said, "Right. He knew how... fond... Molly was of howlers. She's sent a few of them when she's discovered the boys, especially the twins, had misbehaved."

Nodding, Harry said, "So, he knew that your wife's immediate response, when children misbehave outside of yelling distance, is to send a howler, right?"

Frowning darkly, Arthur stared back at Harry. Harry could see the man starting to put all the pieces together. Arthur's countenance quickly shifted to one of fury.

"He... he... knew!" growled Arthur. "That... that..."

"Bastard," supplied Susan.

"_Susan!_" exclaimed Hermione.

"That _bastard!_" said Arthur.

"I'm only helping the man, 'Mione!" said Susan gently.

Harry, trying to ignore the byplay between Susan and Hermione, said to Arthur, "Your wife, Molly, was _used_, Mister Weasley. And by a master manipulator, who is quite comfortable sacrificing people who trust him, if he thinks it gets him one step further along in his own plans."

Harry reached out and poured the man a dram of firewhiskey and held it out to him. Arthur took it and downed it in one gulp.

"Still, my Lord," said Arthur, returning the glass to the tabletop, "My wife overstepped her bounds. And I come to offer my apologies on behalf of House Weasley. And stand ready..."

Harry held up his hand in a stop gesture. Arthur stopped in mid sentence.

He said, "Have you taken steps to ensure your wife never again sends us a howler, or like?"

Nodding firmly, Arthur said, "She no longer has, and will never again, have access to howler parchment. I have... remonstrated with her concerning her actions. And she knows, now, how far over bounds she has stepped. We both..."

Again, Harry raised his hand in a stop gesture.

"Then," said Harry, "the matter is dealt with. Nothing more needs be said."

Harry looked towards the other three and received nods in agreement.

"You are willing to forgive her of her actions?" asked Arthur hopefully.

"Forgive?" asked Harry. "No. Recognise she has been suitably dealt with? Yes. While she overstepped the bounds of civility outside of her House, we accept she and her actions have been dealt with _in-_House. And we let the matter rest."

Arthur visibly sagged in relief. "Thank you, My Lord."

Harry leaned forward and said in a deeper, firmer tone, "However, Mister Weasley; Albus Dumbledore _did this_ to your wife, _and_ your House, _deliberately_. He _knew_ what he was doing. And he'll try to, once again, _use_ you and your family for his own ends _if_ he thinks he can get away with it. It's _your_ responsibility to _not_ let him _get away_ with it. Do not trust him."

With his mouth set in a grim line and firmly focussed on Harry, Arthur nodded his head once, sharply, and replied, "No, My Lord; we will not!"

Arthur left them a few minutes later.

After Arthur left the four heirs didn't leave their private common room. Instead they called a house elf and asked for a meal to be served for them there. Harry also asked one of the house elves to ask Sirius and Remus to join them. The evening meal, in Hogwarts's Great Hall would not be concluded in time for them to dine before they'd need to make their way to the Ministry. So Harry thought Sirius, at least, should be able to dine with them.

Sirius and Remus joined them about ten minutes later and they all ate together.

Something had been bothering Harry for a while about the behaviours of the other three. At the conclusion of dinner, and before they left for Gringotts, he felt now was the best time to ask. With a sigh he asked, "Okay, you three. Perhaps now you can explain to me why it is your language and mannerisms are those of people much older than eleven years old. There are times when you are the children I expect you to be, and other times where you're acting as almost clearly adults. What's going on?"

He saw Susan, Hermione and Neville all exchange glances. Now, he knew something was afoot. Sirius and Remus just looked confused. He waited out his fellow heirs.

It was Neville who broke the silence. "Errr... Harry... do you know how those cubes of yours and Merlin's gave us all the information from the lessons you'd received? All the training?"

Frowning, Harry said, "Of course..."

"Well..." continued Neville. "While those cubes were doing their... thing... While it was approximately eight hours per cube to run in real time..."

"Oh, God," moaned Harry. "What happened?"

Susan said, "We experienced, in our minds, time running at a different pace."

Hermione took it up from there. "There was a time dilation effect, similar to your physically being in the pocket reality, but only going on mentally for us."

Neville said, "The prophecy states we would all enter the Great Hall together _as equals_. It would not have been equal if we didn't have the same mental development as you at the time."

Harry slumped forward, having already figured out what had happened. Sirius and Remus were still confused, though.

Susan said, "While we might have been asleep for eight hours _physically_ for each cube, for some of those cubes we were _mentally_ asleep for years."

"So, how old are you all... mentally?" asked Harry.

"The best we've been able to calculate, the same as you," replied Hermione. "Nineteen years old."

"Bloody hell!" gasped Remus, realisation dawning.

"Harry," said Susan, softly, "Merlin made his calculations very carefully and set everything out so we would be equal to you in all but magical power after the last cube had run its course."

"Damn it!" snarled Harry, leaping to his feet. "If I'd known they were going to have that effect upon you... locking you within your minds for such long periods of time... I would _never_ have gone along with allowing you the cubes!"

"And that's _exactly_ why we didn't tell you!" snapped Susan right back. "We knew what was happening after the first cube. It was our decision to continue them!"

"Harry," called Hermione, softly, "we _know_ you care for and love us. We _know_ you are trying to protect us. We _know_ you don't want any harm to come to us, and will go on protecting us. But, this was _our_ choice; not yours. And we made it, together."

"She's right, Pup," said his godfather in almost awe. "It was their choice to make. And I, for one, fully support them in it."

Harry just grumbled.

# # #

Starting to run late for the Wizengamot meeting, the four changed into their finest 'civilian' garb robes. They then used the Floo in the owner's common room to floo to Diagon Alley. Sirius was heading direct to the Wizengamot. Harry had already contacted Blockrig and had the goblin ask on his behalf to be ready to remove all the blocks on the magics of the rings. After being taken directly to Director Ragnock's office, the four heirs entered.

*Welcome, Lord Slytherin, Lord Gryffindor, Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff. I hope I find you fresh from success in dealing suitably with your enemies and building your wealth,* said the Director.

Harry, as unofficial spokesperson for the four, replied, *And we hope you successfully dealt with _your_ enemies long ago and their gold is earning you even greater wealth while it sits in your vaults.*

The old goblin grinned and said, in English, "I like that one. I hope you don't mind me using it from time to time."

Harry chuckled and said, "Not at all, friend Director. I was rather pleased with it myself."

Ragnock said, "I believe you wish for me to remove the blocks on the rings? I take it something has happened to require it?"

Susan replied, "Yes, sir. Lady Hogwarts, the magical entity that is the castle at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was not prepared to allow us to wait the year before announcing us and forcing us to go through the ritual where we took the reins of the school to ourselves. It was announced in front of the entire school, so we can no longer keep it a secret."

As Susan was talking the old goblin had climbed down from his high chair and walked around his desk. He stood before them.

"Plus," said Harry, "the Wizengamot has called a special session for this evening. As Lady Hogwarts has already... outed... us. It seems prudent to attend that body _before_ they attempt to block us from our rightful inheritance. The four of us will be attending this evening's session. And they're _all_ about to receive one _hell_ of a shock."

Ragnock said, "It sounds as if this evening's session will make the front page of the _Daily Prophet_ in tomorrow morning's paper. I wish I could attend."

Neville grinned, "We will think of you, there, as if in spirit."

Ragnock smiled and nodded. "To the business at hand. Please hold out your right hands so I may remove the blocks."

Harry's already had the block removed on his Potter and Black rings, so it was only the Slytherin ring he needed unblocked. It took Ragnock only a moment to allow it free.

He moved on to Hermione, who stood next in line. Again, it was only a moment to allow it free.

Next was Susan. Hers took a little longer because Ragnock had to remove the blocks on both her Bones ring and then the Hufflepuff ring.

And, finally, Neville. Ragnock released the bindings on both the Longbottom and the Gryffindor rings.

"I wonder what they're witnessing in the Ministry office that deals with the register of who has what ring," mused Harry. "They must have monitoring Charms going off left, right and centre."

Neville chuckled and said, "I bet there are Ministry officials scurrying about like _ants_!"

Susan said, "Six rings of major Houses being donned. All within the space of half a minute, and less than a half hour shy of a special session of the Wizengamot. I do not envy them."

Harry looked at Ragnock and said, "Director Ragnock; we, the four heirs, thank you very much for the service you have performed for us... and for you and your people's discretion this past couple of months."

Ragnock said, "The pleasure is mine. We, the goblin people, believe you four will perform great service to goblin kin during your time on this plane of existence. I am thankful I will live to see it."

Standing up straighter he said, *May your enemies, at this moment, be trembling in fear you may soon notice them. And may your vaults require expanding from the amount of gold soon to fill them to overflowing.*

Glancing at Harry, Neville asked, "May I?"

Harry grinned and gestured him to go for it.

*May you soon have no enemies left, and their gold find its way into your vaults,* the boy intoned. "I hope that was right."

"That was very well done, young Lord," Ragnock congratulated Neville. "You will find it comes easier with practice."

Looking at all of them, he said, "If you'll excuse me, I have important business I need to conclude."

The four heirs left the bank and headed back to the nearest floo to go to the Ministry.

# # #

With about twenty minutes to go before the special session of the Wizengamot, the four heirs arrived in the main atrium of the Ministry. There, they met Sirius. All five were dressed in their finest robes. All five had their family House crests embroidered above the right breast. What wasn't showing was the four crests for the four Houses of Hogwarts. They had them hidden under strong charms.

All five passed through security and made their way to the Wizengamot chambers. The plan was for Harry and Sirius to join the other, already recognised, members of the Wizengamot in the members' antechamber. The other three were to wait, sitting in the visitor's gallery, just in from the stairs.

They had no trouble finding seats, as there were not many people outside of the Ministry and the Wizengamot who knew the full details of what had transpired over the last two days at Hogwarts. And it was, after all, a special session. However, there were at least two journalists from the _Daily Prophet_ attending, and they thought another person was a journalist from one of the International papers. Someone had clearly tipped them off.

It was probably the Minister, thought Harry. He'd invite journalists to a trip to the toilet, if he thought it'd gain him positive press.

In the members' antechamber, Sirius gave Harry a nudge to indicate Dumbledore was there, across the other side of the room. He was talking in close with the Minister and a couple of his strongest supporters. Harry indicated to Sirius to lean in close.

"Let's try and keep out of his sight, for now," he said in a near-whisper. "He clearly does not realise his position as Castellan of Hogwarts no longer requires, or allows, him to sit on the Wizengamot now the four heirs have returned. Or he just doesn't care. We can use it to discredit him further."

Sirius nodded and led the way to the side of the room as close to a line directly behind Dumbledore as they could.

Augusta entered a little while later. And, on seeing the two of them off to the side of the room, headed over to them. "Amelia is not long behind me," she said.

Harry said quietly to her, "We four had the rings unbound a couple hours ago. I don't know how many of the members know of it yet, but they most certainly will soon. The other three are currently sitting in the visitor's gallery."

Augusta nodded and said, "I know. I saw them as I came in and Neville told me what you had to do. However, until he presents himself, I'm still his Regent for Longbottom. I step down as he assumes his seat. Then, when he calls on me to be his proxy, we switch back. Susan and 'Melia will be doing the same."

Sirius said, "Maybe I should call St Mungo's and ask for a medi-witch, or two, to be brought here on standby to deal with the collective apoplexy that's sure to occur."

Even Augusta smiled at that one.

While Sirius was complaining to Augusta how Harry had forced him to become a Slytherin, Amelia entered the room and came over. "Well," she said, "The Office of Inheritance is currently in a right kafuffle. It seems six new heirs suddenly took up their Head of House rings about half an hour ago, and they only know who two of them are; Susan and Neville. They contacted me in my office and asked if I knew what was going on."

Augusta asked, "And what did you tell them?"

"That it was family business and they should keep their bloody noses out of it," she replied with a grin. "They can find out, like everybody else, and wait for the time when they... finally... present themselves to the Wizengamot to take their seats."

"_'Melia!_" gasped Augusta. "What a typically _political shenanigans_ thing to do!"

Amelia snorted and said with a grin, "I don't know whether to be pleased or offended by that remark."

Augusta replied in an aside, "Well, I _am_ a political animal myself, you know."

The light gong sound that summoned the Wizengamot to chambers softly chimed through the room. And the assembled members slowly made their way through the doors to take their seats. Harry, Sirius, Augusta and Amelia hung back a little to let Dumbledore proceed through. They weren't sure if he'd seen them or not.

# # #

As he entered the chamber, Harry could see Dumbledore in the Castellan of Hogwarts seat. He was talking closely with the person sitting alongside him. Harry thought the man was either completely oblivious, or was deliberately ignoring him. But, he really didn't care which.

As the final members took their seats, Lady Marchbanks cleared her throat and said, "The Wizengamot has been summoned to discuss the news we're hearing coming out of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The session was requested by Lord Malfoy, who has been... apparently officially... informed the entire School Board of Governors has been dismissed. Lord Malfoy."

Lucius Malfoy rose and, drawing a folded sheet of parchment from one of the pockets of his robe, said, "I have received correspondence from Hogwarts informing me the _owners_ of Hogwarts no longer require a School Board of Governors. And that, the Board has been... and I quote here... 'become obsolete and no longer required. As such, the entire membership of the Board is dismissed'."

Harry, Sirius, Augusta and Amelia all knew the letter said a great deal more than that. More tellingly, it covered how the Board had failed in its most solemn duty of protecting the children who formed the majority of the student body, from physical and mental harm. If it wasn't for how much Dumbledore had risked the lives of children in his care, the four heirs would have been content to leave the School Board alone, and just treat it as a 'toothless tiger'.

Malfoy continued, "This is _outrageous_! Hogwarts is owned by the Ministry, and has been for hundreds of years. For someone to come along and claim ownership of what belongs to the people of magical Britain should see them sent to Azkaban at the minimum!"

Sirius stood and said, "Point of Order, Lady Marchbanks!"

Malfoy looked as if he'd been slapped. He'd not expected to be called on a point of order over what he thought were simple and obvious introductory remarks.

"You have a point of order, Lord Black?" asked Lady Marchbanks.

"Yes, Lady Marchbanks. Lord Malfoy, the canny political mind he is, has apparently accepted as _fact_ the following two points: one, that Hogwarts is owned by the Ministry; and two, that the owners cannot dismiss the School Board if it sees fit. Perhaps he should first present the evidence of the Ministry owning Hogwarts, and how the Board cannot be dismissed by the owners, first. Before, he claims otherwise."

Lady Marchbanks frowned and replied, "Those are both valid points, Lord Black." Turning to Malfoy, she asked, "Well, Lord Malfoy? Do you have that proof with you?"

Malfoy had already recovered his aplomb by the time the old matron turned her gaze back upon him. "Lady Marchbanks," he scoffed, "it appears Lord Black may still be suffering from his stay in Azkaban. I have much sympathy for him for the mental stress he must have been suffering, and bear the man no ill will. But _everyone_ knows Hogwarts is owned by the Ministry."

Augusta stood and said, "Really? I, too, wonder if the Ministry really does own Hogwarts. I have recently been... educated... by a very intelligent young man, who told me I should never accept anything on face value, just because someone tells me it's true. I should investigate matters and discover the truth for myself. Perhaps, we can ask one of the Wizengamot support people to go and collect the ownership and the land title papers for us, so we may see for ourselves." And sat down again.

"Really, Madam Longbottom," scoffed Malfoy, yet again. "It's _well known_ that the Ministry owns Hogwarts."

"Nevertheless," said Lady Marchbanks, "if the Ministry _does_ own Hogwarts, or doesn't, it will be made clear once the papers arrive from the Ministry office that records ownership of property." She sent one of the support personnel scurrying off to gather the supposed documents.

"In the meantime...," she continued, before being interrupted by the Sergeant at Arms Auror over near the doors leading outside.

"Madam Acting Chief Warlock!" he called.

Looking across the chamber at the Sergeant, she asked, "Yes?"

"Madam Acting Chief Warlock, I have a new Lord who seeks recognition!"

Startled, she called, "Send him forward."

Neville, having already descended the stairs, strode forward into the middle of the chamber with his head held high. He said, "Lord Neville Longbottom, Head of House Longbottom, Madam Acting Chief Warlock. I come to take my rightful place on the Wizengamot."

Looking a little surprised, she looked at Augusta and said, "Gus?... Sorry, Madam Longbottom? Young Neville has been emancipated?"

Augusta stood and said, "Yes, Lady Marchbanks, he has. I relinquish the seat of Longbottom to the rightful Lord Longbottom." And she stepped down from the Wizengamot seats. As she passed Neville, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He blushed, but said, "Thank you, Grandmother."

Augusta moved to the visitor's gallery and sat with Hermione as Susan was down talking to the Sergeant.

"Madam Acting Chief Warlock!" he called again.

"Yes?" Lady Marchbanks called again.

"Madam Acting Chief Warlock, I have a new Lady who seeks recognition!"

She sighed and said, "Send her forward!"

Susan marched into the centre of the floor of the chamber and said, "Lady Susan Charity Bones, Head of House Bones, Madam Acting Chief Warlock. I come to take my rightful place on the Wizengamot."

No longer really surprised Lady Marchbanks looked at Amelia, "And I suppose young Susan has been emancipated, as well?"

Susan stood and said, "Yes, Lady Marchbanks, she has."

Lady Marchbanks sighed and said, "Very well, Lady Bones, come forward and take your seat."

As Amelia did not sit in the Bones seat, as she sat in the seat for the Head of the DMLE, she didn't have to relinquish. Susan sat in the vacant Bones seat.

It was during this that the support staffer returned to the Wizengamot chamber. He spoke quietly to Lady Marchbanks. After he'd said a few words to her, she reeled back with a look of surprise. "Really?" she asked.

The support staffer solemnly nodded.

"Very well," she said. He then moved off from the Wizengamot seats back down onto the floor to resume his normal place.

Turning to Lord Malfoy, she said, "Lord Malfoy. The Ministry regrets to inform the Wizengamot that it does _not_ own Hogwarts. In fact, Hogwarts is owned _in perpetuity_ by the heirs of the four founders. That includes the school, the castle, the land on which it sits, the land on which the town of Hogsmeade sits, the railway station and the lands for quite the many miles around."

Lucius Malfoy shot to his feet and exclaimed, "_What?_"

He was joined by a great number of voices of members of the Wizengamot all calling to be heard.

Malfoy remained on his feet while Lady Marchbanks called for silence. Eventually, she had to use the Sonorus Charm to be heard. "_Silence!_" she called in her strident voice.

It, finally, got through to the members and they quieted down very quickly.

Lady Marchbanks glared at the few remaining pockets of noise before turning back to Malfoy. "As for the second part of Lord Black's point of order," she went on, "under the charter of the school, which _predates_ even the _existence_ of the Wizengamot, the owners of Hogwarts only answer directly to the Kings and Queens of England and Scotland. As those two kingdoms are now united under one monarch, it means the owners only answer to the Queen of Britain!"

Again, there was pandemonium in the chamber. Again, members were clamouring to be heard. Harry, Neville, Susan, Sirius and Amelia were about the only ones who were calm. But, because they were, they were barely even noticed.

Harry gestured for Neville and Susan to join him down on the floor and to be quiet about it. He rose and 'slunk' down off the Wizengamot seats. No one noticed the three of them moving.

Dumbledore was also not clamouring. He was frowning and it was apparent he was not happy. He had seen the three heirs step down to the floor.

Harry called Hermione down to join them. They were then standing together near the doors leading back out to the public area of the Ministry.

The three journalists in the visitor's gallery all had dicta-quills running flat out. They were also, themselves, writing upon parchment.

After Lady Marchbanks had to again use the Sonorus Charm to gain silence in the chamber she, once more called on Malfoy, "Lord Malfoy, as the two parts of the points of order are proven, please refrain your remarks from including those errors of fact. You may continue."

No one had noticed that Harry, Neville and Susan had left their seats. Nor, that Hermione had joined them.

Malfoy, having had almost the entirety of his opening remarks rendered useless, took a few moments to gather his thoughts. He stood and said, "Madam Longbottom made an excellent point when she asked for proof. So, I now ask for proof that these supposed owners are who they say they are. Even if the heirs of the founders of Hogwarts are supposed to be able to dismiss the School Board, there is no proof that these people who claim to be the owners _really are_ the owners. The lines of the heirs died out centuries ago. How are they supposed to be the heirs if the lines died out? Let them prove themselves, I say.

"Even if they manage to prove themselves, the people of magical Britain _have the right_ to ensure their children are taught in a safe and happy environment. The Wizengamot _must_ act to order the Ministry to appoint overseers of the school to check on the well-being of the children within Hogwarts. The only reason this must not have been included in the original charter was because, as Lady Marchbanks said, the charter predates the existence of the Wizengamot and Ministry. If these two bodies existed when the charter was first drafted, I say they would have included provision for the two bodies to oversee the school."

Gathering himself for a moment... a political move, if Harry had ever seen one... Malfoy said, "I call on this body to reconstitute the School Board of Governors with its original membership and _demand_ these _so-called_ owners to both accept them and prove their ownership!" He sat down looking for all the world as if he was indignant with righteousness.

The four heirs then walked together back into the centre of the chamber, they stood just behind the witness chair, where it was bolted to the floor in the middle of the room. They might not have been noticed leaving, but they were definitely noticed returning.

Lady Marchbanks asked, "Lords Potter and Longbottom, Lady Bones... and 'friend'? Why are you standing down there?"

"Because, Lady Marchbanks," replied Harry. "We four are the owners of Hogwarts. And we're not happy."

Susan said, "We are here to, both prove our right to sack the Governors, and give you the truth as to why the entire Board of Governors was sacked, in the first place."

"First, though," said Neville, holding his right hand palm down and forward, displaying his Head of House ring for Gryffindor. "I am Neville Francis Longbottom, the Earl of Gryffindor, Lord Gryffindor, heir of Godric Gryffindor and Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor. The ring I wear on my finger proves this. If you question my claim you are welcome to come down and try and remove it from my finger."

Susan then held out her right hand in the same fashion as Neville and said, "I am Susan Charity Bones, the Countess of Hufflepuff, Lady Hufflepuff, heir of Helga Hufflepuff and Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Hufflepuff. The ring I wear on my finger proves this. If you question my claim you are welcome to come down and try and remove it from my finger."

In the same manner, Hermione then said, "I am Hermione Jean Granger, the Countess of Ravenclaw, Lady Ravenclaw, heir of Rowena Ravenclaw and Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw. The ring I wear on my finger proves _that_. If you question my claim you are welcome to come down and try and remove it from _my_ finger."

Harry said, "And, _I_ am Harry James Potter, the Earl of Slytherin, Lord Slytherin, heir of Salazaar Slytherin and Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin. The ring I wear on my finger proves _this_. And, if you question _my_ claim you are welcome to come down and try and remove it from _my_ finger."

Susan said, "Lord Malfoy asked that the four heirs of Hogwarts prove their ownership and right to sack the School Board. We four, as the heirs of the four founders, _are_ the owners of Hogwarts. I trust, at this time, he is satisfied as to our credentials?"

Lucius Malfoy, as stunned as everyone else by what had just transpired, replied, "Errr... Yes." Gathering himself and his thoughts for a moment, he then stood again and said, "But... you're only children! And you have still not proven you can stop us from ensuring a school board is in place to protect the safety of..."

Harry interrupted him before he could regain his cadence. "_Lord Malfoy!_" he overrode the brought Malfoy to a sudden stop. "You were in the process of _misleading_ the Wizengamot as to the truth of _why_ the School Board was, rightfully, _fired_! You were _fired_ because you proved yourselves to be _incompetent_! You were _fired_ because you _failed_ in the very act for which you are attempting to claim you should be reinstated; the safety of the children attending the school. Either, inform the Wizengamot of the _entirety_ of the dismissal letter you received... which clearly lays out your _negligence_... or sit your butt down!"

"_Lord Potter!_" exclaimed Lady Marchbanks at the same time as Malfoy snapped, "How _dare_ you!"

"How _dare_ you speak to me that way!" blustered Lord Malfoy with all the pomposity and bombast he could muster.

"Lady Marchbanks," said Harry with a small bow. "I apologise for causing you distress. But _this_ will be done."

"First, though," he continued. He turned to look directly at Dumbledore. "Albus Dumbledore, as the four lords and ladies of Hogwarts are back in residence, the position of Castellan for Hogwarts is no longer required. We thank you for your service to this day. We now require you to step down!"

Dumbledore glared back. However, he rose and, with as much dignity as he could muster, stepped down from the Wizengamot seats, crossed the floor and ascended the stairs to the visitor's gallery. There, he merely glared back with hate filled eyes at Harry. That caused a great deal of mumbling coming from the assembled members.

Susan, speaking aloud to the entire chamber, said, "The School Board was fired and dismissed because it failed to meet even the bare minimum of its supposed charter; protecting the children. When the four of us entered Hogwarts on the night of the First of September, Lady Hogwarts, the very castle itself, demanded of us to immediately take our rightful positions as the four heirs. It did so, because it was fearful for the safety of the children."

The entire Wizengamot sat silent. Harry thought complete shock had finally settled in.

Susan continued. "That very night we were alerted by the castle as to the _possession_ of a professor, Professor Quirinus Quirrell, by part of the soul of he you know as _Voldemort_. We were further alerted to there being no less than _five_ dangerous dark artefacts within the castle. We were alerted to there being a _Cerberus_ locked, by a simple key lock, behind a door in a passage on the third floor of the castle. We were alerted to there being a giant Devil's Snare behind and below a trapdoor, _without_ a lock at all, through which a student could have fallen. We were alerted to there being a giant nest of acromantulans, with at least one of their number being the size of a _small horse_, not more than two miles from the front doors of the castle within the Forbidden Forest and _on school grounds_!"

There were gasps of shock and alarm coming from members of the Wizengamot as Susan continued to list the many risks.

Hermione took it up from there. "All of this can be verified through Madam Bones. It was she, and her aurors, we immediately summoned, as was proper. And, who were _saddled_ with the task of ridding the school of those risks. A major job upon which they spent many hours that very night for the castle, and the next day for the Forbidden Forest, completing. Lady Hogwarts had repeatedly tried to warn the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, through the wards and the Sorting Hat of the multiple risks to the children. However, he _ignored_ her every attempt. She could not even take the matter to the School Board, by using the Sorting Hat to do her talking for her, because _not one_ member of the School Board had even _bothered_ to attend the school over the past many years so they could hear her alarm.

"It was the responsibility of the School Board of Governors to ensure the safety of the children within the school. Clearly, they _utterly_ failed! We four, the rightful heirs of the founders and owners of Hogwarts, _sacked_ the bloody lot of them for their _incompetence_ and _negligence_. If the Wizengamot _attempts_ to reinstate even _one_ of their number, then we will consider the Wizengamot _itself_ in collusion to cause harm to the students, and _guilty_ of the crime of _conspiracy to commit child abuse_!"

Near pandemonium broke out within the Wizengamot.

When the room was once more quieted down, Harry, looking directly at Lord Malfoy, said, "Now, Lord Malfoy... you were saying?"

The meeting was closed very quickly after that with the apologies of the Wizengamot. The four heirs immediately left the chamber. With Sirius, Amelia and Augusta running interference for them from the press and other members, they floo'ed directly back to Hogwarts. Sirius, Amelia and Augusta joined them shortly afterwards.

# # #

Back in the owner's common room, the seven of them gathered.

"Damn, you four!" said Sirius as they were all collapsing onto the couches and divans. "You didn't believe in holding back, did you?"

Hermione called for a house elf, who then brought back for them tea and hot chocolates with a large serving plate of cut sandwiches.

"No," replied Harry. "If we held back one iota, members such as Malfoy would have exploited it. Better to slap them down _hard_ now, than later."

Neville said, "They need to get past the fact we're children. They need to understand that, just _because_ we're children, they can't attempt to silence us. If we give them the opportunity to do that, then they're going to try and ride roughshod over us forever claiming we're _only_ children and we should let the adults get on with running magical Britain. No, tonight might have been politically brutal, but was necessary. Political dominance, Merlin-style."

Hermione said, "Now we need to prepare a media release for the _Daily Prophet_ and other periodicals and get it sent to them as soon as possible. The quicker we give the _Daily Prophet_ and other media organisations our side of what happened, the less chance they have of printing hearsay and untruths."

Harry went into his private apartments and brought back with him parchment and a pen. He didn't believe in using quills when they weren't required.

"Okay," he said. "Where do we start?"

Neville said, "The four heirs of Hogwarts tonight... last night... addressed the Wizengamot."

Susan said, "Given the dangers... given the _publicly acknowledged_ dangers... that existed for the students of Hogwarts, it was clear their sacking and dismissal of the entire School Board of Governors was proven to be the wisest course of action."

Harry said, "As such dangers were clearly evident, questions must be asked of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, and the membership of the now sacked School Board, why the dangers were allowed to remain."

Neville said, "With the return of the rightful owners, we hope the quality of education at Hogwarts will soon see great improvement... No, that's not it."

Hermione said, "Now that the true owners of Hogwarts have affirmed their ownership. We expect great things from them. The quality of education at the school has been lacking for a long time... for a great many years..."

Susan said, "...and the... breath of fresh air they will bring... is a... welcome change."

"_That_'s it," said Neville.

Harry said, "Albus Dumbledore, already under a cloud... a dark cloud... for his actions relating to Harry Potter... Uugh!... The-Boy-Who-Lived... and awaiting trial for criminal actions relating to same, must be questioned as to why he allowed... no, we covered that... must now be concerned further charges will be brought against him for... no... will be brought against him."

Hermione asked, "What about quotes attributed to us?"

Neville said, "I'd rather not. What if we were to remain all mysterious like? The four heirs, after making their presence felt in the Wizengamot, retired back to Hogwarts where we trust they are working hard... for the betterment of children... of _our_ children."

Harry nodded and said, "I think I'm with Neville on this one. We can also give a publicly candid interview to the media here, in our private apartments at a later time. But, for now, I'm a little sick of being a 'media celebrity'."

Hermione said, "I'll do it. I'm the complete unknown. Lady Ravenclaw gave a short statement where she said, Us four... no... The four heirs understood and accepted they had a great deal of work to do and were, for the time being, dedicated to getting it done. She hinted they may soon sit down with this media organisation and give an in-depth candid interview."

Susan said, "I think we have it. Get it down on parchment and we can have it sent."

The three adults sat in silence as the four heirs drafted the words of their media release. When Susan finished, Augusta said, "_Merlin_, you four got that done _fast_! And, you're sending it to the _Prophet_?"

"Yes, Gran," replied Neville. "If we don't feed the maw of the media what we want them to report, then someone else, such as Malfoy, will. By _us_ getting our version out there first the media will probably cover it the way we want them to. As Hermione gave them a quote they're sure to include what's in the release. The mundane world's politicals have been doing this for centuries."

Harry, after he finished redrafting the release onto a second parchment, called a house elf and handed him the two envelopes containing the releases. He told the elf, "Take these to the owlery and have each sent by owl." The elf popped away. One was sent direct to the _Daily Prophet_ and the other was sent to the wizarding world's version of Associated Press.

He said, "Welcome to the world of being a media celebrity, 'Mione." And grinned.

She blew him a raspberry.

Later in the evening, after the adults had departed, Harry was working on some rune and charms-based work. When asked about it, he said it was just a personal project. He didn't know the other three had already been alerted by Myrrdin as to Harry's... predilection... towards pranking. They, too, had been designing their own. And they intended to strike first, after the prank Harry pulled on his godfather the previous night.

Tomorrow, one of them would make their first foray against him. They knew he wouldn't expect it so soon on the heels of that night's Wizengamot hearing.

# # #

The next morning Harry woke and made his way out to the heirs' common room. He hung around waiting for the others to arise. But, by almost 8.00am, none of the others had put in an appearance. He tried knocking on Neville's door. When there was no answer, he opened it and walked in. No Neville.

He moved onto the rooms of the two girls but only knocked, not willing to walk into the room of a young lady. No answer on either door. He could only assume they had all risen early and gone down to breakfast together. 'Strange,' he thought. A little confused, Harry headed down to breakfast.

As he walked in through the tall, large double doors the music started. It was mundane music and took him a little while to figure out what it was. He was sure he'd heard it before.

Then the singing started. That drew his eyes to the dais, where sat the Sorting Hat on its stool. It was singing!

"_On the day I was born, the nurses all gathered 'round_"

"_And they gazed in wide wonder, at the joy they had found_"

'Ah!' thought Harry. 'George Thoroughgood and The Destroyers. 1982. It isn't hard to figure out at just _whom_ the song is aimed. Yours truly.'

"_The head nurse spoke up, and she said, 'Leave this one alone'_"

"_She could tell right away, that I was bad to the bone_"

Harry conjured a set of high priced sunglasses and donned them. He turned the collar of his cowl up and strutted into the Hall. 'Time to turn this prank back on the "pranker",' thought Harry.

Harry started to sing along to the Hat's rendition as he strutted up the Hall between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables.

"_Bad to the bone_"

"_Bad to the bone_"

"_B-B-B-B-Bad to the bone_"

"_B-B-B-B-Bad_"

"_B-B-B-B-Bad_"

"_Bad to the bone_"

Before he reached the head of the table he could see Hermione with a knowing grin plastered on her face watching him. 'Pranker: identified,' he thought.

"_I broke a thousand hearts, before I met you_"

He reached the head of the four tables and, pushing a Hufflepuff female Firstie aside, sat down at the end of the line of benches and sang to Susan. She chose to ignore him.

"_I'll break a thousand more, baby, before I am through_"

He turned to the Firstie and sang the next two lines.

"_I wanna be yours, pretty baby, yours and yours alone_"

"_I'm here to tell ya, honey, that I'm bad to the bone_"

The Firstie, and the one next to her, sighed and giggled.

He then rose and moved across to the Gryffindor table squeezing between two Second Year females

"_Bad to the bone_"

"_B-B-B-Bad_"

"_B-B-B-Bad_"

"_B-B-B-Bad_"

"_Bad to the bone_"

He was up and moved towards the head table moving around the Hat as he did.

"_I make a rich woman beg, I'll make a good woman steal_"

He stopped in front of Professor McGonagall and sang,

"_I'll make an old woman blush, and make a young woman squeal_"

"_I wanna be yours, pretty baby, yours and yours alone_"

She blushed, harrumphed and decided to also ignore him.

"_I'm here to tell ya honey, that I'm bad to the bone_"

Then it was down between the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs.

"_B-B-B-B-Bad_"

"_B-B-B-B-Bad_"

Before, finally, heading for his own seat.

"_B-B-B-B-Bad_"

"_Bad to the bone_"

He plonked himself down just as the last line and music rang out. The Hat, and its stool, disappeared again.

There was smattering of applause from students, especially the mundane raised.

Harry removed his sunglasses, stood, and said, "Thank you, thank you. I'm here all year!" And bowed a few times in various directions across the Hall.

That earned him a few chuckles and a catcall or two. He could see Hermione give him a wry look. She knew he'd bested her on that one. And he could see she was aware he knew it was her. He gave her a courtly bow.

His revenge would have to be carefully planned. He couldn't retaliate too quickly. She'd be expecting that. 'No,' he thought. 'Best to lull her into a false sense of security.' He'd go after someone else, first. He'd even try to see if he could have it blamed on someone else. But, who to target as the 'Prankee' and the blamed 'Pranker'.

He answered a few questions from some of the First and Second Year Slytherins. But, his mind was elsewhere. He wanted to read the _Daily Prophet_ to see what it printed concerning last night's actions.

Miss Greengrass asked, "So, My Lord; what is today's topic on?"

He had to hand it to the girl. She was doing her best to get a foot up on the rest of the student body by trying to collect information in advance. He thought she'd bear watching over the coming years. She was demonstrating all the hallmarks of a canny political mind.

"Now, that would be telling, Miss Greengrass," he replied with a smile. "I'm afraid you're going to have to wait and enjoy the suspense."

"No hints at all, My Lord?" she asked.

Harry grinned even more and replied, "Nope! Sorry." Before stuffing a piece of marmalade toast into his mouth.

Blaise Zabini said, "I wrote my father about what you said yesterday about He... about Riddle. I received an owl back from him, this morning." He unfolded a small piece of parchment and, looking at what was written upon it, said, "He said, 'It's about time someone used some brains and spoke about his... Voldemort's... origins'." Before refolding the parchment and sticking it in his pocket. "But, he doesn't know if telling children was the best way to do it."

"Why not?" asked Harry. "It should now be an integral part of the 'History of Magic' syllabus, anyway."

Thinking a bit, he went on to say, "And that reminds me. I need to do something about Binns. It's about time I moved that ghost on... 'to his next great adventure'. And replace him with someone who was more up-to-date."

Millicent Bulstrode, another First Year, asked, "How'll you get rid of Binns? I've heard it's been tried before and failed."

Harry replied, "There's an old mundane saying, 'There's more than one way to skin a cat'. It implies there's more than one way to solve a problem. So, Miss Bulstrode, if given the problem, how would you go about solving it?"

Millicent thought hard and replied, "Exorcism is the normal way. But that's been tried; as has appealing to him to leave. He simply ignores the attempts."

Harry nodded and asked, "Now think _outside_ of those solutions. Can you come up with an answer by coming at the problem from a different direction?"

Again, she thought hard. "Move the class to a different room... or move the times the class is taught."

Harry sat back, impressed. "Very good, Miss Bulstrode, five points," he said with a smile. "The solution, as you deduced, is not to try so much to remove Binns from his classroom; but to remove the _class_ from the classroom. I believe the classroom next door to the normal one is vacant, and hasn't been used in many years. Moving the time of the class, however, may prove somewhat problematic at the moment as the timetables have already been set. Next year we can definitely look at moving the times the class is run, if moving classrooms doesn't work.

"Binns is locked into a routine. He knows where his classroom is, and he knows the times he needs to be there and what year he's supposed to be teaching each time. It hasn't varied for many a year. If we can't move him on, we'll just let him teach to an empty classroom, for now."

Thinking a bit, Harry said, "First, though, I'll need to talk to the others and Professor Lupin."

For the first time, Gregory Goyle spoke up. Draco gave him a look as if the boy had stabbed him in the back. He said a little shyly, "I've been reading your book. Did those mugg... errr... those... mundane relatives of yours, really do all those horrid things?"

Harry looked the boy straight in the eye and quietly said, "Yeah, they did. They felt magicals were 'freaks'. It's the same sort of mentality that makes magicals think of mundanes and mundane-borns as beneath them. That sort of attitude springs from many different sources. In the case of the Dursleys it was because they feared magicals as having power they did not. And, it's the same thinking that led to the Salem Witch Trials in the United States in the early eighteen hundreds.

"People don't like to be afraid. And, when they're afraid, their fear can manifest as hatred. They hate that which makes them feel afraid, just for _making_ them feel afraid. Was it my fault they were afraid? Of course not. But it didn't stop them from hating me for it."

Draco piped up and said, "But, that's just silly!"

Harry replied, "Yes, it is. But it's also very common. And it's how one person can manipulate others. All you need to do is give a suitably large number of people something to be afraid of. Then, make them afraid of it to the point the hatred develops. Then tell them you know how to get rid of that which they now hate. And they will follow you. Bad guys have been doing it for millennia." Harry shrugged and then said, "_Supposed_ good guys have been doing it, too." Harry could see young Greengrass understood the hidden message he also conveyed with what he said.

The owls then delivered the mail. And Harry had his first look at that morning's _Daily Prophet_. He found what he was looking for on the front page as the lead story.

_Wizengamot Shock_

_Last night's special meeting of the Wizengamot, called at the request of Lord Malfoy, concerned letters each member of the School Board of Hogwarts received from people alleging to be the owners of the school. Lord Malfoy was demanding the Wizengamot force the reinstatement of the Board. However, demands by Lord Black to produce proof the Ministry owned Hogwarts, or even had the authority to reinstate the board, were met by the shock that the Ministry _does not_ own Hogwarts at all. Hogwarts is owned in perpetuity by the heirs of the four founders._

_When he asked for proof the alleged owners truly were the heirs, four eleven year old children shocked the entire chamber. Standing on the floor before the Wizengamot they displayed their Heads of House rings on their right hands. They are: Neville Francis Longbottom, Lord Gryffindor; Harry James Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, Lord Slytherin; Susan Charity Bones, Lady Hufflepuff; and Hermione Jean Granger, Lady Ravenclaw._

_Lord Longbottom and Lady Bones had only a few minutes earlier claimed their Lordships for the Head of their respective family Houses._

_The four heirs clarified they had summoned the aurors on the night of the First of September to the castle to rid the school of dangers to the students. They claimed the aurors removed five dark arts artefacts, a Cerberus, a Devil's Snare, and a Professor who was possessed by the spirit of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. These were all in the castle with the student body, _our_ children. _

_This was all later confirmed by Madam Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE, who oversaw the removal of these dangers. Madam Bones further confirmed that a team of her aurors returned to the school the next day to remove an infestation of dark creatures from the Forbidden Forest, some of which was a very large nest of acromantulans._

_The four heirs claim, given the publicly acknowledged dangers that existed for the students of Hogwarts, it was clear the sacking and dismissal of the entire School Board of Governors was proven to be the wisest course of action._

_As such dangers were clearly evident, questions must be asked of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, and the membership of the now sacked School Board, why the dangers were allowed to remain until the four heirs acted. Albus Dumbledore, already under a dark cloud for his actions relating to Harry Potter, and awaiting trial for criminal actions relating to same, must now be concerned further charges will be brought against him._

_Now that the true owners of Hogwarts have affirmed their ownership, we expect great things from them. The quality of education at the school has been lacking for a great many years and the breath of fresh air they will bring is a welcome change._

_Lady Ravenclaw gave a short statement where she said, 'The four heirs understood and accepted they had a great deal of work to do and were, for the time being, dedicated to getting it done.' She hinted they may soon sit down with the _Daily Prophet_ and give an in-depth candid interview._

_Acting Chief Witch, Lady Griselda Marchbanks, when asked what she thought of the shocks that had occurred that night, said she supported the decision of the four heirs to sack the Board, and did not believe a replacement Board was necessary. 'Clearly, these four young witches and wizards are working hard to take care of rectifying wrongs within the school. I believe they should be left alone to do it,' she said._

_Lord Malfoy was not available for comment._

Harry chuckled and looked up to see Sirius looking back at him with a big grin on his face. Harry waved his copy of the _Daily Prophet_ at him. Sirius nodded.

# # #

As breakfast was winding down, Dumbledore sent Professor Snape over to Harry to tell him the Headmaster wanted to see him, again, in his office. Harry, again, took his godfather with him.

As he entered the old man's office Harry could see Snape was there yet again. And Dumbledore was also frowning because Harry, again, had brought Sirius, as his House Counsellor, with him. Both already had their wands drawn as they walked in.

Dumbledore said, "Thank you for bringing Harry to see me, Professor Black. I can take it from here."

Harry burst out laughing. "You just _can't_ give up, can you, _Albus_? You're either rudely obstinate, senile or incapable of learning from your mistakes. I just can't be stuffed figuring out which one it is!"

Professor Snape lurched forward and snarled, "You're still an arrogant git, Potter. Just liii..."

Sirius hit him with a stupefy spell from behind Harry's back. Professor Snape, who had his eyes on Harry, didn't see it coming. He collapsed onto the floor.

Dumbledore shot back in his chair as far as it could go. "Professor Black, please! There's no need for this!"

Sirius calmly replied, "Then don't have him here when you call _Lord Slytherin_ to come and see you. And this will be the last time, by the way. That _he_ comes to see _you_, that is."

Dumbledore, ignoring Sirius's response, turned to Harry and said, "And, it's Headmaster Dumbledore, Harry."

Harry snapped right back, "It's _Lord Slytherin_, _Lord Potter_ or _Mister Potter_, you stupid old fart! If you can't be respectful enough to use _my_ proper names, don't whine and complain when I don't use yours!"

"_Harry!_" exclaimed Dumbledore.

"_Albus!_" mock-exclaimed Harry in response. "Now, am I here as a student, as part owner of Hogwarts, as a member of the Wizengamot, or on some form of business relating to my family? Think _hard_, old man. If you don't answer the _freakin'_ question as it has been put to you, then I turn around and walk out the door. From that time forward it will be _I_ who will be summoning _you_!"

"I... I... wanted to ask if... you touched my wand yesterday morning," the old man stammered.

Harry glared at him and said, "Good day, _Albus_! Don't forget you are _required_ to be in the Great Hall at 9.00am. You'd best immediately write it down, considering how poor your memory is of late. You're going to find the subject of _this_ talk even more enlightening than yesterday's." Harry then turned on his heel and strode out, while Sirius watched his back as he went. Dumbledore tried to call him back but he and Sirius just ignored him.

Out in the passage outside the Headmaster's office, Sirius asked, "Just how much longer are you prepared to put up with him?"

Harry replied, "No later than either this afternoon or tomorrow morning. I want him in the Great Hall for the lecture we're about to give. Then _I_ know that _he_ knows that I know... what he was attempting to do. I want him fully aware he's _not_ going to be able to control me, and that I know he can't do a damned thing to _try_ and control me, as I know the full prophecy. I believe in the maxim, 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.' But he's outlasted even _my_ patience."

Just before 9.00am, Harry met with the other heirs to go over what they were preparing to do. While they were doing so the house elves finalised reconfiguring the Great Hall back into the lecture theatre they wanted.

At 9.00am the four of them were back on the dais. This time Harry had already prepared each of three blackboards with the text of the prophecy. The first one had just the first two lines, the second one had the first four, and the third had the full prophecy as the four heirs, Sirius and Remus knew it. But the boards were all facing the other way, for now.

"Okay, folks," said Harry. "This is the last of these morning lectures, for the time being. And this one is also the main reason for the first two."

That had a few people murmuring among themselves.

"This talk is all about a particular prophecy." As he said it, Harry kept a close eye on Dumbledore.

As soon as he said the word 'prophecy' the old man started with shock. Then he shot to his feet. "_Harry!_" he exclaimed. "_You can't!_"

Hermione stated, "Sit down, Headmaster! Or you will, again, be restrained."

"_Nooo!_" the Headmaster blurted. "_No one must know!_"

Neville raised his wand but Dumbledore saw it and stuttered, "_Wait! No!_" But Harry could see the old fool was trying to bide his time to ready his wand.

Harry thought, 'Lady Hogwarts, bind him and silence him again.' And Dumbledore was slammed back into his seat, rebound and silenced again.

Harry sighed, looked over at Professor McGonagall, and said, "Deputy Headmistress McGonagall. At the completion of this talk, the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts will be offered to you on a permanent basis. Please use this time to consider the offer. I also ask that, as the position will be permanent, you also consider stepping down from your position as House Counsellor for Gryffindor."

Professor McGonagall nodded. But Harry could see the woman was quite pleased and feeling nothing but ire towards Dumbledore, anyway.

Turning to Neville, he said, "Yes, Lord Gryffindor; I know we'll be having words about that later."

Neville nodded back, gravely.

"Now," said Harry, turning back to their audience, "we were talking about a particular prophecy. We'll reveal this in three parts."

Susan stepped up to the first board and said, "This first part is known by a few people. And they've known it for ten years. They were, at the time, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Tom Riddle... Plus, possibly a few more of his followers."

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..._

_Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies._

A few students muttered among themselves.

Hermione said, "Dumbledore heard this from Professor Sybill Trelawney, when he was interviewing her for the post as Divination Professor. After talking with her for a while, he was about to thank her for her time but _not_ offer her the position. However, when she started her prophecy, Dumbledore hesitated."

"At this point, too, just after the second line," said Neville, "Dumbledore heard a noise outside. He leapt up to investigate but, not finding anything, returned to his seat to hear the rest of it. The person outside was Severus Snape. Remember, this was before he became a Professor, here, at Hogwarts. Professor Snape, as a Death Eater, took what he heard directly to his so-called master, Tom Riddle. So, Riddle now knew the first two lines."

Harry took it up from there. "Both Dumbledore and Riddle believed the second line to be the most... informing. And both also figured the prophecy related to either of two people, Lord Gryffindor and me. It's the reason why both of our parents were attacked very closely to the Thirty-First of October 1981."

Susan said, "Then there comes the part only Dumbledore knew, because Death Eater Snape had already fled, and Sybill Trelawney didn't remember, because of her prophecy trance."

Having already moved to the end of the second blackboard, Neville turned it around.

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...  
Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies.  
And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...  
And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives._

Harry said, "'And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal'..." and lifted his fringe out of the way to show his scar.

That created quite a stir in the crowd.

Hermione said, "So, now Dumbledore is absolutely positive he knows who it is to which the prophecy relates. He's now positive it's Riddle versus Harry Potter time in magical Britain. And that Harry Potter must kill Tom Riddle, or that Tom Riddle will kill Harry Potter. But, is he right?"

Neville spoke up. "The trouble with this whole concept is that _this_..." he said, gesturing at the middle board, "is not the entire prophecy. Dumbledore suspected he hadn't heard all of it, but he wasn't sure. That's why he hired Professor Trelawney to the position of Divination Professor. It had nothing to do with her ability to teach. It was only so she'd be close by if she ever dropped back into her trance and completed it. In other words, Dumbledore was using Hogwarts's teaching funds to fund his keeping a supposed Seer close at hand."

Susan said, "Dumbledore was both wrong and right. He was wrong to keep what he'd heard to himself. He's no trained interpreter of prophecies. Interpreting prophecy is the bailiwick of _trained_ members of the Unspeakables. However, he didn't take it to them, _as he bloody well should have_. He was also wrong in what the prophecy _meant_.

Hermione said, "Albus Dumbledore is no trained expert in prophecies. He's no more skilled at it than you. So, since he decided to decipher it himself, we think you should do the same. Let's look at the first line, shall we?"

Susan said, "First line '_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...' _Okay, what are the problems here? I'll start. 'The Dark Lord' what is that supposed to mean? In the past one hundred years there's already been at least two, and those are the ones here and in Europe that we know of - Grindelwald and Riddle. There's no date, there's no location, there's nothing. However, Dumbledore... _knew_... it must have been referring to Riddle. Why leap to that conclusion? Was it simply because the prophecy was heard while Riddle was running amok? It could even be talking about a Dark Lord that hasn't even shown him- or herself yet.

"And what about the word '_approaches_'. Maybe its not a reference to time, but to distance. 'The one' is coming to Britain from a long distance away and is trekking to get here. That would mean they were 'approaching', wouldn't it?"

Neville said, "'_Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies._' Well, this one's really interesting. 'Born to those who have thrice defied him'. It sounds pretty cut and dried, doesn't it? So, it will be a boy or girl child, at this point. And the biological parents will have defied this Dark Lord character... who _still_ has not been identified... on three separate occasions. But, 'defied' can mean anything. It can be as simple as Dark Lord asked them for a favour, and they said 'No'. Then he said, 'Awww... go on' and they said 'No' again. Then he said, 'Pretty please?' and they said 'No' a third time. Dark Lord has now been thrice defied."

There was some murmurings from the collective student body. And not a few looks towards Dumbledore.

Hermione said, "It also doesn't mean they _only_ defied him, either; or that they only defied him three times. They could have given in to him on other occasions. They could even be marked Death Eaters, if it really does refer to Riddle, by the time their child was born."

Harry said, "Now we come to the interesting part. It's why both mine and Neville's parents went into hiding in 1980. Both of us were due to be born at the end of July that year. So Dumbledore, not knowing anyone else who was due to have a child at that time, illogically assumed the 'one' had to be the child of the Potters or the Longbottoms. Setting aside the fact that there were approximately _ten thousand_ children born towards the end of July in 1980 in Britain, alone, let alone the rest of the world, it's also an assumption the seventh month is July.

"For example, I bet few of you know that 'Sept' is a Latin derivative for 'seven'. And, when a fire is dying, it leaves glowing embers. Seven and dying; sept and ember. September. Now you need to add another ten thousand children from Britain alone that could conceivably be the 'one' ordained in prophecy. Another example: The school year starts on 1st September each year. The seventh month of the school year is April. Add yet another ten thousand children. The Chinese New Year is in mid-February, which makes the seventh month a split between mid-August and mid-September. The Financial Year runs from 1st July until 30th June. That makes the seventh month January. I could go on and on. I expect you folks to see how many more differing dates you can call the so-called seventh month."

Hermione said, "'_And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not..._' Now we're getting down to, as mundanes say, 'the brass tacks'. There are only one set of people Riddle deliberately marked; his Death Eaters. Harry Potter was marked _accidentally_ when he received that scar on his forehead. But a mark can be more than just physical, it can also be a mental mark. Someone rendered permanently mentally changed is also considered 'marked'."

Harry said, "So Neville was also marked. When a small group of Riddle's Death Eaters attacked the Longbottoms, they tortured them to the point of causing their minds to 'snap'. That meant Neville Longbottom's parents became unable to raise him; and he was raised by his grandmother. And, that, of course, meant Neville's experience of life was altered. Through his actions Riddle _mentally_ marked Neville Longbottom."

Neville said, "'_but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not_'. The only thing really cleared up here is that the child will be a boy... 'He'. And what of this 'power' he's supposed to have? If we knew what it was, then the chances are, so would Riddle... or Grindelwald... or whoever. Then it wouldn't be a power he knew not, would it?" He shrugged.

Susan said, "Next line; '_And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives_'. What sort of nonsense is that? How can one cause the death of the other if one can't live while the other one does. It means the one born second must cause the first ones death at the moment of their birth, otherwise they'll both be alive at the same time. That line is nonsensical."

Harry said, "But it also causes something else to happen. It would mean, if it really was me and Riddle, that we are both immortal _if_ we decide not to try to kill each other. To be more blunt about it, _Riddle_ cannot be killed unless _I'm_ the one doing the killing; and _I_ cannot be killed unless it's _Riddle_ who's doing the killing.

"So, if Riddle were to agree not to try and kill me, and I do the same for him, we're immortal. And it also means that if anyone else tries to kill me, then they'll fail. How good is that?"

Susan said, "However, Dumbledore was right about one thing. There was more to the prophecy that he _hadn't_ heard. But, he was _never_ going to hear it from Professor Trelawney. Her moment as a channel for that prophecy was over. The person who was _supposed_ to have received the entire prophecy, did so."

Harry had moved to the final blackboard and was ready to turn it. As Susan finished and stepped out of the way, Harry said, "And this is it in its entirety..." And he spun the board around.

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...  
Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies.  
And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...  
And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.  
Before two hands of full turnings shall pass...  
The one with the power will come forth from whence he has been lost.  
He shall be joined by loyalty...  
He shall be joined by wit...  
He shall be joined by resolve.  
The four are rejoined!  
They shall defeat evil and restore order to magical kind._

Harry looked at Dumbledore, who was sitting with a look of shock on his face. "Now, Albus," he said. "If you're going to behave yourself, we'll release you."

Dumbledore didn't mouth a word. He just sat there staring at the final blackboard as if he hadn't heard a thing.

Harry told the castle to release him and remove the silencing charm placed on him. The magical bindings released, but Dumbledore didn't move.

Ignoring Dumbledore, Neville said to the staff and students, "As Lord Slytherin said, this is the prophecy in its entirety. Its eleven lines long. A great deal more than the four that Albus Dumbledore knew it to be. And, if he had bothered to discover the rest of the prophecy, or taken it to people who actually _knew_ what they were doing in deciphering it, he may have learned a hell of a lot more."

Hermione said, "So, we'll go through this part quickly as it's pretty easy to figure it out.

"_Before two hands of full turnings shall pass..._

"A full turning is a year. Therefore, it's ten years, or more properly, just short of ten years.

"_The one with the power will come forth from whence he has been lost._

"Not particularly clear. But it does become so, later.

"_He shall be joined by loyalty..._

"That's Hufflepuff

"_He shall be joined by wit..._

"That's Ravenclaw

"_He shall be joined by resolve._

"That's Gryffindor

"_The four are rejoined!_

"Which means 'He' is Slytherin. He is the one who 'comes forth from whence he has been lost'. He is 'the one' of prophecy.

"_They shall defeat evil and restore order to magical kind._

"'They shall...' Not might; not could; not possibly will; _shall_!

"And where has he been lost?" she went on. "Dumbledore _illegally kidnapped_ Harry Potter to go and live with an abusive mundane family, the Dursleys, for nine and a half years before Harry ran out of the Dursley residence. 'Will come forth'; Harry headed for, and entered, Diagon Alley, where he was quickly identified. As such and until that moment, he was 'lost' to the magical world."

Susan said, "Albus Dumbledore wanted to control what he believed the prophecy to be, and to whom it applied. To do that he decided he had to have complete control over Harry Potter's life. He used Rubeus Hagrid to kidnap Harry Potter from his rightful guardian, Sirius Black. It was why, when he knew Lord Black to be innocent of the crime that had him sent to Azkaban, he kept silent when he knew the truth."

Neville said, "It was why he had the Potter Will sealed, because it identified to whom the infant Harry Potter _was_ to be taken; who would then raise him. It was why he was intercepting all of Harry Potter's mail. It was why he had himself declared Harry Potter's magical guardian, when he knew _damned well_ he had no such right. It was why he attempted, in the Wizengamot, only a few days after Harry became aware of his true heritage, to have Harry stripped of his emancipated minor status and his Potter Lordship."

Hermione said, "It was why, just yesterday morning, he attempted to use Legilimency on Harry up in his office. And, it was why, over the past ten years, he has _mind raped_ four members of staff here, at Hogwarts, and used both Legilimency and the Obliviate Curse upon them!"

Looking Dumbledore directly in the eye, Harry said quite firmly, "And, in case you are so feeble-minded, so oblivious of reality, so self-delusional... that you do not understand what this all means... Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, for the crimes of multiple counts of mind-rape and attempted mind-rape of a child, defrauding the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry through paying people staff wages just to have them close by even though they may have been ill-suited to the roles to which you hired them, for conspiracy to commit child abuse, for conspiracy to cover up child abuse, for abuse of authority as Headmaster, for intentionally failing to provide safe haven at Hogwarts... and probably a great deal more I can't be bothered thinking of, at the moment... you are _fired_! Your employment as Headmaster, and as a staff member of Hogwarts, is _terminated_!"

Susan said, "_Mister_ Dumbledore, you have thirty minutes in which to vacate Hogwarts lands, and that includes Hogsmeade, or you will be _forcibly_ evicted. Do _not_ attempt to take that which is not rightfully yours as you leave. Adding the charge of theft to those mounting against you, while it seems to be a bit of a waste of time, we _will_ still do!" Glancing up, she said, "Lady Hogwarts, dump the ex-Headmaster of Hogwarts in the Headmaster's office, so he can pack his personal effects! In exactly thirty minutes, if he hasn't already left on his own accord, he is to be dumped outside the front gates."

Dumbledore disappeared from the Hall.

Hermione turned to Professors McGonagalland Flitwick and said, "Headmistress McGonagall; Deputy Headmaster Flitwick; congratulations to you both. Consider your positions permanent, as of this moment."

# # #


	24. Snape's Cure

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four - Snape's Cure

That afternoon, after meeting with the staff in the staff common room, Harry sat with the other three heirs in the owner's suites to discuss whether or not to introduce the new school curriculum, in part or in full, immediately. They resolved to immediately replace the curriculum of all seven years of the History of Magic class, plus replace the teacher, introduce the Ethics and Morality Class and the Study Practices & Assignments Class for the First Years, and replace the 'Muggle Studies' class with the two simultaneous 'Studies and Traditions of the Mundane World' and 'Studies and Traditions of the Magical World' classes. Professor Burbage would be offered the Magical World class and would work with the four heirs on a curriculum for it.

They needed to find new teachers for the History of Magic, Mundane World, Ethics and Morality and Study Practices & Assignments classes. However, they would advertise internationally for the positions. They wanted a Mundane raised and experienced teacher for that slot. And they wanted someone with a knowledge of both British and International magical history for the first slot. That one would be advertised locally.

Neville was to immediately implement the school garden vegetable farm on the spare grounds. That would allow the implementation of the new wards. And he would also head the redesign of the Hogwarts wards.

Susan and Hermione were to 'ramp up' their efforts in going through the laws to see what needed removing, replacing and fixing. Once they had the full list the four of them would then figure out what they'd tackle first. However, they also knew Her Majesty was very keen on the laws relating to equal rights. So, they'd get priority.

Harry would sit with Headmistress McGonagall and Deputy Headmaster Flitwick as interview panel when they started receiving applications for the vacant positions. In the meantime, he'd start on preparing the employment advertising.

First of all, though, he needed to write yet another report for Her Majesty to let her know what was going on. She, Sir Anthony and Sir David all needed to be prepared with a rapidly accelerated timeline of when they'd need to act. He intended to visit with Sir David over the coming days for a one-on-one so he could answer any questions the man may have.

He also drafted a short piece for the _Daily Prophet_ announcing Dumbledore had been _permanently_ stood down, Minerva McGonagall was now the Headmistress and Filius Flitwick was the Deputy Headmaster. He had that sent off immediately.

Neville had also let everyone know that, while he was sad to let Professor McGonagall go from the position as House Counsellor for Gryffindor, he was pleased to announce Professor Vector had agreed to take on the position. It would be properly announced at evening meal in the same manner as Harry had announced Sirius to the position of House Counsellor for Slytherin.

While the others were busily working on their own projects Harry was surreptitiously working on his greatest pranks ever. He had two ready to go and he was just putting the final touches on them both.

That evening the four heirs carried out their check to ensure all members of their Houses were present, but Neville went last. Very soon afterwards, Gryffindor had a new House Counsellor, Professor Vector.

# # #

The next morning, Harry and Neville decided to attend the Slytherin Gryffindor First Year double potions class. This was the first morning when they didn't hold one of their school wide lectures in the Great Hall. So, classes could return to normal.

Harry thought it would be wise to watch Professor Snape in his element to ensure the man could actually teach. He knew the man only held the position because Dumbledore wanted him close by, but that didn't mean he couldn't teach.

When they entered the two Houses were sitting on opposite sides of the room. But, Harry and Neville decided they'd sit together between the two.

Professor Snape entered the class from the hallway at exactly 9.00am, the time the class started. He strode down the length of the room from the door, mounted his dais next to his lectern, and said, "There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can show you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death. Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention."

Looking over at Harry, he said, "Ah, Mr Potter, our newest celebrity. Tell me, Mr. Potter, what would I get if I added root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"

Harry replied, "The Draught of Living Death. It's a powerful sleeping potion."

Frowning, the Professor asked, "Where would you look if you wanted to find a bezoar?"

"In the stomach of a goat; or probably in your potions store. It's a fast and effective way of curing most poisons."

The frown became a glare. "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

"They're the same thing, and are also known as Aconite. It's a type of plant with a purple flower. It's the main ingredient in Damocles's Wolfsbane Potion, for which he earned the Order of Merlin about 15 years ago."

He could see the Professor was furious, but had stopped asking questions. Harry asked back, "So, tell me, Professor. Since I've just answered questions relating to Third, Fifth and Seventh Year studies, have you just given me an oral examination for my OWLs?"

Professor Snape spluttered, then roared, "_Get out! All of you, get out now!_"

Harry tapped Neville in the ribs and whispered, "Stay. We need to fix this right now. He'll attack with Legilimens and I'm going to use it against him."

Neville nodded. He had a very good idea what Harry was going to do.

The other students scrambled to pack their things, pick up their small cauldrons and flee the classroom. Harry and Neville packed their things but were in no hurry to leave. Professor Snape just glared at the two of them. He now had his wand out.

After the other students had left, Harry looked at the Professor and asked, "What would you get, Professor, if you took Damocles's Wolfsbane potion, followed it with an inert infusion containing the virus Canine Hepatitis, and let the virus run its course before killing it a week after the cycle passes, just treating the symptoms rather than the cause; then dose the patient with one of those bezoars of yours?"

"You'd kill the werewolf!"

"No, you'd _cure_ them!"

The Professor, near choleric with rage, attacked exactly as Harry thought he would; with Legilimens. Harry let him in to his mental prison, and then locked him in there with him. Harry had it set as a black room without boundaries.

With Snape standing, Harry appeared about ten feet from him. The Professor launched a couple of Curses at him. They had no effect. Harry calmly said, "Come now, Professor. There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in _this_ mind."

Snape yelled, "_What is this, Potter?_"

"You know very well, what _this_ is. It's my mind. At least, it's the part of my mind I _let_ you into. Clearly, Dumbledore didn't tell you he'd already tried to use Legilimens on me... and failed."

Snape closed his eyes and grimaced. He then opened them in shock and stared at Harry.

"No, Severus. You _cannot_ leave until I allow it."

Snape snarled, "What do you intend to accomplish by holding me here? You cannot hold me forever!"

Harry smiled and said, "No, but I can make it seem like it is. No, I'm keeping you here to... re-educate you."

Appearing around them was the scene of a small English village. They were standing in a meadow not far from a lake. There were two young children, about eight or nine years old, sitting together under a large oak tree near the edge of the lake and about twenty feet from them.

"Do you recognise the scene, Severus?" asked Harry.

The Professor walked to stand a little closer to Harry as he stared in shock at the two children. "It's.. it's... me and Li... Lily. Your mother. When we were young children. We had yet to receive our Hogwarts letters. I... knew I was a wizard, but Li... your mother... didn't."

"Yes," said Harry. "It was also the time when you first demonstrated magic for her. You were still quite shy, but Lily had managed to bring you out of your shell, a bit. She wanted to be friends with you."

Harry and Snape watch as the young Severus caused a little bit of wandless magic and made butterflies appear to dance around Lily's head.

Harry said, "That was actually quite impressive, you know. The fact that you could cast wandless magic at such an early age. And you used it to impress someone you started to feel... even then... love for."

The scene changed. They were standing together just outside the door to a neat little cottage. Lily, slightly older, came running up the path. She banged on the door and called, "_Severus! Severus!_"

A young Snape opened the door and ducked outside, closing it after himself.

"Lily?" he asked excited. "You got yours, too?"

Both children held their Hogwarts letters in their hands and danced about.

Harry said, "You didn't tell her you received a beating from your father, did you? You didn't tell her about the abuse you suffered because you were a wizard, and he wasn't. I know what that's like."

"You don't know, _anything_!" the older Snape roared, visibly shaken. "Release me from this, immediately!"

The scene changed again. The two children were sitting across from each other in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. There were no other children with them. The door suddenly flung open and there stood a young James Potter and Sirius Black.

"Ah!" exclaimed James. "Firsties!" He then cast a minor spell and all of Lily's hair disappeared. Both boys laughed.

Severus shot to his feet, drew his wand, glared at the young James and Sirius, and yelled, "You leave her alone!" He then pushed both back out of the door before slamming it shut.

Lily had reached up with her hand and felt her bald scalp. She screamed. Severus was beside in a flash. He spent time comforting her. "It's okay, Lily. It's only a minor spell. It'll wear off very soon, and you'll have all your hair back. I promise"

Lily clung to him and sobbed.

Harry said, "That was a very brave thing you did, Severus. You stood up to two bullies who were bigger than you, and you stared them down."

The scene changed and they were in the Great Hall. The First Years were undergoing the sorting.

A younger Professor McGonagall held her scroll and called, "Evans, Lily!"

Lily, with her hair back, tremulously left the side of young Severus and walked forward. She walked forward and climbed onto the stool while the Professor held the Hat aloft. As it was placed on her head there was a few moments before the Hat called, "_Ravenclaw!_"

Smiling, Lily looked back at the young Severus before heading for the Ravenclaw table amongst applause from the Ravenclaws.

The sorting continued apace until it reached young James. Before the hat even landed on his head, it called, "_Gryffindor_!" And young Harry joined his friend, Sirius Black, at that table. They were sitting with a young Remus Lupin, and a freshly sorted, and thinner, Peter Pettigrew.

"Snape, Severus!" called Professor McGonagall.

The young Severus sat on the stool and scrunched up his eyes looking to be in furious concentration.

The Hat was quite a while before it finally called, "_Slytherin!_" And a very dejected looking young Severus looked at young Lily. They were both sad. Severus walked over to join the Slytherin table.

Harry asked, "You really wanted to be in Ravenclaw, didn't you?"

Snape quietly said, "Yes. I wanted to be with Lily. I argued with the Hat for what felt like hours. It told me I should probably have gone into Gryffindor but I was too ambitious and cunning. It also looked to put me into Ravenclaw, and I begged it to, but it said I would truly find my way in Slytherin."

The scene changed and it was a warm summer's day outside the castle on the grounds. A now older Lily was sitting under a tree talking to an equally older James and his friends.

"No!" the older Snape bellowed. "I will not watch this! Release me _right now_!"

Harry said, "You _must_, Severus. It's the key to everything. It's also the answer to your _salvation_!"

A young Severus with longer hair came running across the grass from the castle. He appeared excited and happy. "Lily! Lily!" he called. "I did it!"

The older Snape tried to turn away. Harry wouldn't let him.

Lily, having heard him call her name, was rising to her feet. "Severus?" she asked. "What's going on?"

"I got it! I got an Exceptional in Potions! Professor Slughorn wants me to aim for maaaa...!"

Severus suddenly flew up into the air hanging upside down by his ankle. His robes fell to be billowing around his face. His pants were reefed 'up' to be about his ankles, leaving him hanging with his old underwear on full display.

The four Gryffindor boys - Potter, Black, Pettigrew and Lupin - were all roaring with laughter. Lily turned on Sirius and cried, "Release him! Release him, this instant! You _bully_!"

With a twitch of his wand, Sirius released the Curse causing young Severus to fall to the ground head first. The four Gryffindors walked off laughing. James turned to Lily and said, "Are you coming?"

She angrily replied, "No."

Turning to help the young Severus to his feet, she asked, "Severus, are you alright?"

Rising to his feet, the young Severus yanked his arm out of her grip and snarled, "Let go of me, _you filthy mudblood_!"

Lily reeled back in shock.

The older Severus was leaning over with his hands on his knees and groaning.

Harry paused the mental replay and went for the kill. He said to the Professor in a firm voice, "And that was the moment, Severus. Right then. If you had held your tongue, young Lily would have cut all ties to James and his friends. You two would have grown closer together. Eventually, you would have married. And _all_ the major points in your life, from that moment forth that occurred, with the exception of you earning your Mastery in Potions, would not have happened."

As he spoke, Harry's voice rose in volume and anger. "You would _not_ have joined Voldemort and become a Death Eater, you would _not_ have run to him and told him of the first two lines of the prophecy, you would _not_ have then realised how badly you made a mistake and run to Dumbledore begging for his help, he would _not_ have been able to _manipulate_ you like his personal little play toy puppet. And you would _not_ have... through your own actions... caused the _death_ of your true love, Lily Evans-Potter. And _I would have been your son_!"

Harry waited for a few moments before continuing in a calmer and softer voice. "I am _not_ my father, Severus. I am _not_ James Potter. He's _dead_. I, however, am much more like my mother. I may have inherited many of my father's looks; but I have my mother's eyes. I did not inherit my father's mean, cruel streak, either. Instead, I inherited my mother's caring nature, her love for others, and her softer side."

Not expecting an answer anyway, Harry asked, "Do you know she forgave you, Severus? She forgave you only days after all this happened." He gestured with his hand at the scene before them. "She desperately wanted to reconnect with you. But, _you_ continued to shut her out. Your own guilt kept you apart after that. And you, knowing the guilt was your own, grew to _hate_. And you let the hate rule your life. And now you aim that hate at me!

"You seem hell-bent on taunting me as my father taunted you. You want to blame me for my father's actions; a boy not even a twinkle in his mother's eyes when it all occurred. When you look at me, you see him. And you can't let it go. I have offered you help, Severus. I see in you a _brilliant_ man. A man still capable of a great many things. A man seeking redemption but unable to find the solace of it. And now I'm offering you help in finding it. I can give you that solace, Severus. All you have to do is _let me_."

And Harry abruptly released the Professor from his mind prison.

# # #

When Harry released the Professor, the man collapsed to the floor where he stood. Neville immediately jumped forward and helped him back to his feet while Harry brought one of the student stools over for him to sit upon. The two of them then guided the Professor into sitting on the stool, and waited to ensure he had his balance upon it. And Harry noticed Susan and Hermione were also there.

"How'd it go?" Neville asked Harry.

"As expected," he replied. "When did Susan and Hermione turn up?"

"I mirrored them a few moments after the Professor, here, launched his attack. They've been waiting and watching ever since."

The Professor was still quite dazed. Tears brimmed his eyes.

"Do we need to fire him?" asked Susan.

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so. It'll be up to him, though."

With a raspy voice, the Professor softly said, "I can hear you, you know."

Harry replied, "We know."

The four heirs were sitting in the front row of student desks and waited for the Professor to gather himself. When he did, he looked at Harry and said, "You were waiting for that, weren't you? Waiting for me to use Legilimens on you."

Harry replied, "Yes. I'm just sorry I had to goad you into it."

Turning away, the Professor asked, "That cure for werewolves you mentioned. Canine Hepatitis. It'd actually work?"

"Yes."

"How do you stop it from killing the patient? Canine Hepatitis is fatal in almost all cases."

Harry replied, "The virus is fatal because the body overheats to the point it can no longer sustain life. Effectively, it cooks itself. Secondly, the virus is fatal in _full_ canines. Werewolves are only _partially_ canine. The virus does not attack the human part. What you need to do is infect the patient on the first night of the change, as soon as they change. Then you hit them with a massive dose of the virus throughout the body. Keep the patient cool using cold packs and ice; especially around the head; that's where the body heat does the most damage. Then, let the virus run its full course over the next few days. Keep treating _only_ the symptoms, and do _not_ attack the virus itself.

"Once the lycanthropy period passes, _then_ hit the patient with the best healing draughts you've got. It may not work on the first pass through a full moon, but my research indicates it _will_ within no more than three. You can have the patient cured of lycanthropy within three months."

Susan said, "We've all looked at Harry's notes and we all concur. Our problem is, who is going to believe four eleven year olds invented the cure for lycanthropy?"

The Professor thought a bit and then nodded. He said, "I am. You four can do things no eleven years old should be _able_ to do. Po... _Lord Slytherin_ has just provided me _ample_ demonstration of his skill in Occlumency. I have no doubt his skill in other areas of magic may be just as... _formidable_. Plus, I already saw what you four did to Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey and that oaf, Rubeus Hagrid. That shouldn't have been possible, either."

Remembering, Harry said, "There's one more thing I can do for you, Professor. But I must have your _absolute faith_ and _trust_ to pull it off. As I told you in the infirmary on the first night, I can fix what Dumbledore did to you."

Frowning, the Professor said, "I would know, first, what it is you're planning to do."

Harry replied, "I think he's tweaked your emotional response mechanisms; especially, those related to anger and frustration. I think he's put in place triggers for them so that, whenever you look at me or think of me, it hyper-activates those emotional responses. I'd like to go in and remove them."

Frustrated, the Professor shook his head. "It can't be you," he said. "It has to be one of the other three." It was only then that Harry noticed the man had not looked at him since he came out of Harry's mind trap.

"That sounds... a wise course of action, Professor," said Harry. Turning to the others he said, "Okay, who feels the most confident they can help the Professor."

Hermione said, "We've already discussed it, Harry. It's going to have to be me."

Harry frowned, but nodded. Turning to the Professor he said, "When and where do you want to do this?"

"Now," he replied. "And it better be in the infirmary." He then stood up and strode for the door. The four heirs hurried after him.

# # #

Striding into the infirmary, the Professor called, "Madam Pomfrey? I need a bed!"

Madam Pomfrey came hurrying out of her office calling, "Severus? What's wrong?"

Turning to the sound of her voice, he said, "These four are going to do their... thing with me. Now."

"Oh," she exclaimed. "Well, wherever you feel most comfortable, I suppose."

The Professor walked over to the nearest bed and lay upon it. "You may need to ready a healing draft, Pomona. I may need it very soon."

The medi-witch scurried into her office and came back with a couple of vials. She placed them on the bedside table.

The four heirs stood two to each side of the bed. Hermione and Susan closest to the head. Susan said, "I think I need to join you, Hermione. I'll be your backup."

Hermione nodded and said to Harry, "You provide the extra magical power for me; and," looking at Neville, said, "you provide the extra magical power for Susan."

When everyone agreed, Hermione said to the Professor, "Okay, Professor, you know you're going to need to drop your Occlumency shields. Please do it now."

Hermione concentrated a bit, nodded to Susan and said, "Legilimens!" a mere fraction of a second earlier than Susan. Both boys were pushing magic into the girls. Harry could feel the slight drain on his magical core.

The Professor's eyes glazed over.

The drain strengthened for a bit about thirty seconds in, but eased back off again shortly afterwards.

Ten minutes later, both girls came up from their focus. Hermione swayed a bit, but Harry was there to steady her. Susan reached over, unstoppered one of the vials, sniffed it, and upended it into the Professor's mouth. "Headache reliever," she said. Then she reached for the second one and did the same thing.

Hermione said, "It's done. Dumbledore was _not_ very subtle with what he did, either. Besides also tweaking with the professor's emotional response centres, he also put in place a shield to prevent the Professor from even going anywhere _near_ it himself. It was pretty nasty. Susan and I had to work together to bring it down."

"But," she said, "we've fixed it. We haven't altered the Professor's emotions in any way. All we've done is remove the alterations that were already in place. How he behaves from here on out is entirely him."

Madam Pomfrey came around and checked the Professor out more closely. "He appears to be... deep asleep," she said.

"Yeah," said Susan. "He was going to come around suffering from a massive headache. So, I triggered his somulus state as we left. He should wake anywhere from half an hour to two hours from now."

Harry told the medi-witch, "Tell him to come up to the owner's suites when he feels up to it. There's no rush."

Before they left, Harry said to the medi-witch, "Before we go, please dose these two with magical core revitalisers. What they did, though they won't admit to it, took a _lot_ of magical power to achieve."

She hurried back into her office and came out with another vial for each of the girls. "Straight down with them, both of you. I'd prefer you remained here for at least a few hours, but I suppose this will have to do."

The two girls dutifully downed them straight away with both wrinkling their noses at the taste. Then the four left the medi-witch to minister to her temporary patient.

# # #

A little over an hour later, back in their common room, they received a knock on the door. Neville called, "Come in!"

Professor Snape walked in. He took one look at Harry and frowned a little, but his expression brightened almost immediately. Neville asked him, "How're you feeling, Professor?"

"Much better, actually," he said. "I came to thank you all, Lords and Ladies. And to apologise to you, Lord Slytherin. My behaviour these past few days..."

Harry held up his hand to stall the man, "No apologies are necessary, Professor. You weren't yourself. However, from this moment forward..."

"Understood, My Lord," replied the Professor. "But, thank you, again."

He then bowed, turned and left the room.

Susan, looking up from whatever project she was working on, asked, "Do you think we're going to see any behavioural improvements out of the man?"

Hermione said, "Yeah, actually, I do. But I think Harry's right in getting in a chemistry 'slash' potions master to teach the younger years. Professor Snape is too valuable an expert in potioneering to let him go without giving him every chance."

Harry said, "And I think he'll make a fantastic teacher for the Fourth Years and up; plus, when we get the Potions Pre-Mastery course up and running next year."

He then said, "I need to call Sir David. I need to talk to him about all the changes that have occurred over the past few days. Plus, I want to find out if he's found me an electrician with experience in the magical world, yet." And he went into his private quarters to his desk.

He didn't see it, but the other three all looked at each other and grinned.

# # #

After talking for a few minutes on the mirror with Sir David, Harry came back out into the common room and said, "Yeah, he wants to see me. Who wants to come with? He's made sure his office is clear of staff for us."

Neville said, "Yeah, why not. I've not actually met him yet."

Harry thought for a bit and said, "Lady Hogwarts, please drop the anti-apparation wards on the owner's common room."

"Alright, Nev," he said to Neville. "You've not been there before, so I'll side-along apparate you direct to his office so you know where it is in future."

Neville nodded and walked over to where Harry was standing. They gripped each other about the waist and Harry disapparated them.

Their arrival in the office of the Head of MI5, startled the man. "Damn it, My Lord Potter!" he exclaimed. "You scared the bejeezus out of me!"

Harry grinned and said, "Sorry, Sir David. I guess you're still not used to dealing with magicals."

"Well, I'm getting better," he huffed. "I'm just not used to people... apparating... directly into my office, yet."

"It will come with experience, Sir David, I assure you," said Harry. Turning to indicate Neville, he said, "This is Neville Longbottom, Earl Gryffindor, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom."

Having already walked around his desk, Sir David offered his hand to Neville and said, "Welcome to my humble little demesne, Lord Longbottom, Her Majesty's MI5 intelligence service."

Neville shook the man's hand. But, he wasn't used to being so easily treated as an adult on equal footing with another just yet.

"Hello, Sir," replied Neville softly.

Sir David smiled and, taking pity on Neville, said, "You address me as 'Sir David', My Lord."

"Hello, Sir David," replied Neville a little more firmly.

Sir David smiled at him and ushered his two guests to his conversational table.

Once sitting, he said, "Now, My Lord Potter, as I said on your mirror thing, I've found your electrician. Actually, I've found three of them. And they now all work for us on a... contractual... basis."

"Excellent," said Harry. "I wanted to see about getting my manor house wired and hooked up to the electricity grid. They can do that at any time as I'm now living full time, for the moment, at Hogwarts Castle in Scotland. Then in late June, I want to get as large a team of electricians as possible to set about wiring the castle. We may need to consider having a generator arrangement to which to connect it, though."

"Actually, Harry," interrupted Neville. "Hermione's working on a magical electrical power generator, at the moment. She's having a few problems, I believe. But she thinks she'll have them solved well before June, though."

Harry was surprised. "Really?" he asked. "I had no idea."

Sir David said, "Anyway. I can get the electricians out to your manor but you're going to have to grant them access. I believe you have some pretty good wards protecting the place from... prying eyes. I admit to having a few of my boys and girls out there to have a look for it, but they couldn't find it."

Harry grinned. "No, they wouldn't. One of the wards stops non-magicals from stumbling upon it by accident. I can, however, come up with a... magical key... for want of a better term, that'll allow your people to find it."

"Rune stone?" asked Neville.

Harry nodded. "I think it would be the safest way. That way, Sir David's people can find the place in future. That is, so long as they carry the stone with them."

Sir David asked, "So, you can magically make something, even something as big as a castle and it's grounds, disappear from view. And all someone would need to find it was to carry a... rune stone... on their person?"

Harry replied, "Well, a rune stone is what we call it. It can actually be pretty much anything, really. Even a... say... badge, or a mundane ID card, can be made a rune stone. If the person has that item upon them, then they could see through, and even enter, the wards."

Sir David wrote all that down. "And what about something like, say, a jet fighter?"

Harry grinned and said, "Yep!"

"And it would be invisible to everything? Even radar?"

Harry thought about it for a minute and said, "If we could get a... magical taste... of the technology. Such as radar, lidar, whatever. Then, yes, wards can be created to protect it and make it disappear from the naked eye."

Sir David continued to write down on his pad. "You've given me a lot to think about, yet again, My Lord," he said. "I'm going to be talking with the magicals we've already located and see if they have this knowledge."

Harry asked, "Can I ask if Madam Bones's records of students helped?"

Sir David looked up in surprise and replied, "Oh, yes, My Lord. Once we had the lists we then had our computers programmed to start searching for them. It took a while to fine tune everything. But, before very long, it was churning out the names and addresses of people by the dozens!"

"Our biggest annoyance, though," he said. "Was just how many returned to the mundane world for only a short time before they headed overseas. A lot of them emigrated to the United States. And our friends over there are not being very helpful in tracking them down for us."

Harry snorted and said, "Then it wouldn't surprise me, in the least, to learn the US Government is making use of them."

Sir David said, "That was our thought, as well."

"And, Sir David," said Harry, changing the subject, "I trust Her Majesty is happy with the reports I've been sending via you?"

"Yes," he said. "She was no less shocked than I when we learned your castle is... as you said... sentient. _And_ that it insisted you take the reins immediately."

Neville snorted and said, "No matter how hard we told her not to, she forced the issue by making the Sorting Hat announce us. At that point we had no choice but to accept."

"Yes," replied Sir David. "So Lord Potter's report informed us."

He then leaned forward and asked, "I take it this... Sorting Hat is also sentient?"

Neville nodded and said, "It belonged to my ancestor, Godric Gryffindor. To stop arguments about which House a new student would be placed into, the Hat was enchanted to do it for them. It has the ability to read the minds of new students and, based on what it finds, place the student into the House which best suits _them_. The Hat takes its job very seriously. And it never tells anyone what it finds inside those minds. It also likes to sing."

"Incredible," said the Head of MI5.

Harry grinned and said, "Keep the evening of the First of September free in your calendar for next year, Sir David. I'll take you to see it for yourself."

"Really?" he asked, surprised. "My... I think I'd really like that."

"Of course," said Harry, "we also expect you to come and visit us in the castle soon, anyway. I'd love to introduce you to the staff. We just need to get them over this whole 'Magical Secrecy' shtick they've got going on in the magical world."

Sir David, coughed a bit, clearing his throat, and said, "I also have a message from Her Majesty for you."

Interested, both Neville and Harry sat forward, "Yes?" asked Neville.

"She wonders how the efforts towards ridding the magical world of those laws she is not happy with, are progressing," he asked.

"Ah!" replied Harry. "Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff are working in concert with that. However, it is safe for me to report we have now made our presence felt with the Wizengamot. Her Majesty's throne and the four heirs' chairs are now in place, as of last night. And the entire Wizengamot felt our ire on her behalf.

"They don't, yet, understand what that fully means. But, very soon, they will. As we no longer have the luxury of waiting the year out and having everything prepared in advance. We four are now... scrambling... to have a list of all the laws broken down into what needs to be removed completely, what can be fixed with alterations, and what can be left until a later date to be dealt with. We also trust Her Majesty's people are working on similar lists?"

Sir David shook his head and said, "No, they're going through every law and treating them all with a fine tooth comb approach. I think they're still thinking longer term. I have to say, though, that many of the laws they're going through are leaving them feeling quite... perturbed."

Harry nodded and said, "Ask them to.. expedite... the most heinous ones, if they would. The ladies are eager to start stripping the worst ones from the books. I know both ladies are feeling quite _incensed_ about some of them."

Sir David snorted and said, "Why do I have the feeling you're understating their feelings on the matter?"

Harry grinned and said, "Asks the man who used the word 'perturbed' in a sentence? And it's because I'm a gentleman and would never use a phrase like 'ready to bust some balls' when it comes to the ladies."

Neville coughed and said, "Why not? I think it _perfectly_ describes Susan's mood."

"Nev!" exclaimed Harry, turning to him. "What a _horrid_ thing to say about Countess Hufflepuff! True; but, horrid!"

Neville and Sir David just chuckled in reply.

The meeting wound up soon afterwards.

# # #

On return to the owner's common room at Hogwarts, Harry and Neville related what they'd discussed with Sir David.

Susan asked, "Don't they realise we need the input of Her Majesty's solicitors and law makers to get through all this nonsense?" She gestured at the stacks of parchment the two ladies had been working on. Harry could see it was rewritten laws, a list of the laws that needed to be removed, and another list of the laws they needed to rewrite.

Harry thought for a bit and said, "It's pointless us having to rewrite everything just so it can be rewritten properly. I'm going to the Ministry and demanding a copy of every wizarding world law. It'll make it easier, I bet. Anyone want to come with?"

He received no affirmatives. He went into his private quarters and collected his mokeskin bag. He knew he'd need it to carry so much parchment. Returning to the common room, he said, "Last chance!" There were still no affirmatives. He shrugged and walked to the fireplace. He activated the floo. "The Ministry!" he cried. Then stepped into the green flame and as gone.

Moments later he appeared in the atrium in the Ministry. He quickly made his way to the office containing a copy of all the laws of wizarding Britain.

Walking up to the counter, he said to the bored looking witch, "Hello, I need a copy of the laws, please."

She looked up and asked, "Which ones?"

"_All_ of them!"

She blinked, hesitated a moment, and asked, "No, I mean which set of laws?"

Harry replied, "And I said, _all_ of them."

Shocked, she carefully asked, "Ummm... You want a copy of... all... the laws of magical Britain?"

"Yes, please," said Harry.

"Ummm..." she stuttered. "To... How far back?"

Harry sighed and said, "I _said_... _All_ of them!"

"Y... Yes... My Lord," the young lady replied. "It... It's going to take a while."

Harry said, "I know. I'll be back in a couple of hours. I have other business to attend."

She replied, "Y.. Yes, My Lord. It'll be... I don't know _how_ many galleons... to have all that printed for you."

"That's quite all right," said Harry. "Just get it done... fast."

Harry then headed via floo to Gringotts. He hadn't been in to see Blockrig for a while, and he wondered what his Account goblin would have for him by now.

# # #

After the usual greetings in gobbledegook, Harry got down to business.

"How goes things, friend goblin?" he asked.

"Things are well, My Lord," replied Blockrig. "All assets have been retrieved from Dumbledore, including all the missing funds. They're now safely secured in your main vault. One of them was a portrait of your parents, standing together with you in the arms of your mother. Your mother is asking about you.

"Mister Doge is working apace with his actions against all the various publishing houses and authors for the works where they claimed facts about you. He's particularly miffed over most of the ones where they claimed to have interviewed you as part of their material."

"Good," said Harry. "I take it he knows, now, that he's working for _the_ Harry Potter?"

The goblin nodded, "Of course."

"Thank you," said Harry, grateful. "I didn't like the fact I, essentially, lied to him when we first met."

Thinking, he asked, "And how goes getting the House of Granger recognised as a Magical House?"

"It had stalled, somewhat, until Lady Granger was recognised as Countess Ravenclaw, and the four of you proved beyond any wild expectation you rightfully _are_ the heirs of the founders. However, the Ministry is now tripping over themselves to push the paperwork through," the goblin replied.

"But, fair warning, My Lord," the goblin said more seriously, "we're hearing rumours that many on that body are very unhappy of your actions, and seek to discredit, or even, kill you."

"That's not surprising," said Harry. "We've completely upset the various balances of power right across the wizarding world. Many alliances and... bribes... will now be pretty much useless. Our enemies will seek to set things back to the way they were before we took our seats."

Nodding, the old goblin said, "And they fear that which they cannot change, that which they cannot control. It is a state with which they have little experience."

"Yes," said Harry. "But, things are also running out of control, at the moment, for us four as well. As you're aware, we were supposed to have a year in which to prepare. That year has now been denied us. So, I now have to deal with Riddle, the school and the Ministry at the same time. Plus, I'm going to have to deal with individuals such as Dumbledork who are going to try and interfere with what needs to be done." And sighed. "I have to cut down the fronts."

Gathering himself he took his leave of the goblin and headed back to Hogwarts.

# # #

Walking back in to the owner's suites, Harry found the other three already there working on their own their own projects. Sirius and Remus were also there talking about lesson plans and... whatever else.

"Guys," he said. "I've just been coming to the realisation I'm trying to deal with, at the moment, three separate problems. Two, of which, are currently on accelerated timelines. It cannot continue."

"Well, it's about time!" said Sirius. The others all nodded. "So, you're finally going to ask for help, are you?"

Harry sighed and said, "You're all _already_ helping. What I'm going to do is activate one of my and Myrrdin's fall-back plans. And it's going to be a shock, to everyone."

Sirius and Remus, and the three other heirs, all closed up what they were doing, and sat back to listen.

"Okay, spill," said Hermione.

Harry came forward and sat in one of the armchairs. Everyone else came to sit around in front of him.

Once everyone was sitting and comfortable, he asked, "What do you all know of the _Tales of Beedle the Bard_? And the items known as the _Deathly Hallows_?"

# # #

"You're the heir of all three Peverell brothers?" asked Sirius.

"Yes," replied Harry. "The Peverell family was an off-shoot of the Potter family."

"And the Deathly Hallows are family heirlooms?" asked Sirius.

"Yes," replied Harry.

Susan said, "I thought they were just bedtime stories my aunt used to read me when I was little. That they were a myth."

Hermione cut in and said, "Most modern myths have a basis in fact. In this case, in history."

"So," asked Neville, "what brought up this whole discussion. The Deathly Hallows have, if they're real, been lost for centuries."

"I know where all three are," replied Harry.

"_What?_" He was bombasted with sound.

"All three Hallows are currently here, within this castle," said Harry.

"_What?_" He was, again, bombasted with sound.

He sighed again and said, "Look, I have to get rid of the threat Riddle and his followers represent. I was going to take this year to do that. However, we're going to be busy with both redesigning the school and taking over the Wizengamot. I won't have time to deal with Riddle while all that is going on, and I cannot afford to allow it to wait until we've got the other two resolved. Hell, it may take many years for the other two to be resolved and, by then, Riddle will be back in physical form."

"And, what do the Deathly Hallows have to do with that?" asked Neville.

"What the stories don't tell you is the truth concerning where they come from," replied Harry. "They didn't belong to the incarnate form of Lord Death. They were... something else."

"What?" asked Hermione.

"A magical artefact so powerful the Peverell brothers spent their lives studying it," said Harry. "They first sought to destroy it, concerned it would fall into evil hands. But, were only able to split it into component parts. I intend to... reintegrate them... to deal with Riddle sooner, rather than later."

"The True Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand, reunited," said Neville softly. "And they're your family heirlooms?"

"Yes," stated Harry matter-of-factly.

"The story states they will make the person who reunites them the Master of Death," said Susan. "Is that what you want to be?"

Harry shook his head and said, "That's where the story is in error. The person who reunites the three will not be the Master of Death. Instead, they will be the Herald of Magic. That... position... also grants them the ability to deal with other planes of existence, other states of matter."

Sirius cocked his head like Padfoot and asked, "What does that mean?"

Harry replied, "Well, I'll be able to deal with souls. I would be able to... force... spirits onto their, so-called, next great adventure."

"Wouldn't that be considered the Master of Death?" asked Remus.

With another shake of his head, Harry said, "No, because I will not be able to bring anyone back from the dead. I can only force those... in between... to 'go on'. I could, I think, also stop a soul from leaving its host. But, I think I'd have to be there when they die to hold the soul to their physical form."

Shrugging, he said, "However, that's only a small portion of what reuniting the Deathly Hallows will allow."

"Isn't that enough?" asked Hermione. "What else could you possibly want?"

"Nothing; but, the united Hallows make you the Herald of Magic," he replied before giving another sigh. "Basically, if Magic itself feels it's been abused or misused, I become the physical embodiment of it in retribution."

"Magic thinks?" asked Sirius.

Harry thought for a moment and replied, "When you turn a desk or coffee table into a lion, for instance, you have little understanding of the internal biology of the lion for it to assume its form. Magic, however, does; it knows what needs to go where. You give it the command and magic does the rest."

Hermione harrumphed and said, "That's probably why the castle is now sentient. If magic is sentient, and that much magic has... imbued... the castle over the last millennia, then it's no _wonder_ the castle has become sentient."

Harry face-palmed himself. "Yep. Perfect sense!" Looking up, he asked the castle, "Is that what happened?"

All four received a sense of smug happiness back from the castle.

Turning to Remus and Sirius he said, "We just received clarification back from the castle in the affirmative."

Harry could see the other five thinking furiously. Sirius looked up and said, "I have one question for you, Pup. Will this be safe?"

Harry knew his godfather was worried about him; so, he didn't just give a flippant answer. Instead, with a firm nod he said, "Yes. At least, Myrrdin and I could not find fault with it."

"Then, why didn't you do it before now?" asked Remus, curious.

"Because it will probably make me the most powerful wizard, probably, on Earth. And, as the Queen said, 'Power corrupts - absolute power corrupts absolutely'," he replied. "I don't want to be seen as... taking over... amongst us four heirs. Even though that's what the four of us are going to be doing to the rest of Magical Britain; in the name of Her Majesty, of course."

Neville snorted, and said, "Harry, do you think you're better than us? Do you think you'd 'rule' us?"

Harry reeled back in shock and exclaimed, "Hell, no! We four stand as equals!"

"And we don't see you taking over, either," said Susan firmly. "You have given us so much, already. You clearly _care_ about all of us. I _know_ you don't have it in you to seize control."

"Actually," said Neville, "_I'd_ be even _more_ worried you'd take on even _more_ work under some belief or sense of guilt you should work harder than the rest of us."

"Well, I would," said Harry, a bit sheepishly.

"Then, you'd be a _bloody_ idiot!" said Susan.

"_Susan!_" said Hermione. "Language, dear lady!"

Neville just snorted while Sirius and Remus just looked at Susan with a sense of shock.

"What?" said Susan looking back at Hermione. "I'm _right_, aren't I?"

Sirius and Remus burst out laughing, soon joined by the rest.

The first to calm down, Sirius asked, "Okay, say you're going ahead with this. What's your plan?"

And Harry spent the rest of the evening before everyone headed to bed going over how and when he was going to reunite the _Hallows_.

# # #


	25. Tom's End

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five - Tom's End

The previous night it was discussed whether or not Harry would reunite the Hallows in public. Or, reunite them beforehand and deal with Riddle in public. Harry, though he was loath to hideanything, eventually agreed he would reunite the Hallows in the presence of those who were with him, and use the recombined Hallows later, in the Great Hall. As it was 'home ground', they decided to hold the press conference in the Great Hall while the students were at morning classes.

Harry argued that Riddle had to be dealt with in public so that the wizarding world saw for themselves that the threat of a return of Voldemort was over. So, that part was going ahead.

Harry said, "Hermione promised, the other day, we would give a media conference. She did not, however, promise them why it would be called."

"You mean, _we_ said we would call a press conference," said Susan. "It was, after all, our media release we sent out."

"Yes," said Neville, "but it was a quote attributed to Hermione, remember?"

"Ah!" said Susan, understanding what he meant.

They drafted the media release that night, in private, and owled it out immediately. The conference would take place the morning of two days hence, at 9.30am. Access to the grounds would not be granted until 9.00am. The release also invited the Minister, the Heads of the seven departments - including the Department of Mysteries - and the other Members of the Wizengamot; plus, _Mister_ Albus Dumbledore. Amelia and Augusta were notified immediately via mirror.

Harry expected about thirty people, total. He was in for a rude shock.

# # #

Early down to breakfast the next morning Harry was reading that morning's _Daily Prophet_, with its article on the release of both Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge from the clutches of the DMLE, and how moves were afoot to have the Minister ousted from his position. There was little covered about what the actual charges were, but there were a couple of quotes from Amelia. Amelia had just said, as the matters were still under investigation, she wasn't prepared to release details of the matter to the media.

There was, not surprisingly, no comment attributed to the Minister or Umbridge. The Daily Prophet, however, was making guess left, right and centre as to why Fudge and Umbridge had spent the time in the DMLE's cells.

Harry had just finished reading his copy of the Prophet when he was joined by a couple of Second Years, who had managed to beat the First Years down to breakfast. "Good morning, My Lord," said one of the Second Years, quite chirpily.

Harry looked up and asked, "Okay, what's got you so happy this morning?"

"Everything is so much better, this year, My Lord," replied the boy, Horace Urquhart. "Everyone is so much happier with the changes you have made so far."

A Third Year that had joined them as Mister Urquhart was speaking, Henrietta Vaisey, said, "Yeah, there are very few incidents where the Gryffindorks try and provoke us, any more. I think, even the Weasley twins have called a truce; though, they haven't told anyone."

Harry was listening while more students were entering the hall, heading for seats and preparing their own breakfasts. He was in the process of lathering a couple of slices of piping hot toast with butter and marmalade and eyeing off the locations of the containers of bran, sugar and milk.

"I don't think the peace is going to last long, though," he said, mindful of the glorious prank he'd set up with rune stones and charms in the grand staircase, just waiting for the right conditions to be triggered. "Those two are never inactive for long. And when they are, it usually means something big is in the offing."

"Uugh!" shuddered one of the Third Years, listening in. "Last year they pranked our whole house by changing our robes to Gryffindor's colours. That wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't also taking pictures of everyone and sending photos of us in Gryffindor colours back to our parents. My Mum sent me a howler about that one."

Harry snorted as he was about to take a bite of his toast and said, "Well, that's the sort of prank I don't mind. No one is hurt and everyone is embarrassed a little, equally."

Another Second Year, Terrence Higgs, stared back and asked in shock, "You don't mind them doing that to us?"

Harry shook his head and said, "I don't mind pranks where no one is hurt or excessively embarrassed. But, the prank also has to be well executed. That is, it can't just be jinxing someone in the hallways; which I would consider bullying, by the way. _And_, you'd get in trouble for pointing a wand at someone."

Shaking his head he said, "No. Use runes, potions or charm an item. So long as none of them are harmful. Or, as I said, could be construed as bullying."

He then listened as the, now, collection of Third, Second and First Years looked at what they could do, and who they could do it to. He even suggested they make their main target the current self-confessed reigning prankers of the school, the Weasley twins. And continued to eat his breakfast.

He was enjoying the discussion of the lower Years when Sirius, as he was wont to do, arrived late to breakfast. He wasn't a morning person and was generally a bit of a grouch up at his end of the table. The Seventh Years had already learned not to antagonise him at this time of the day.

Professor 'Old Grumble Bum' Black sat carefully loading his plate with his usual morning fare. Harry acknowledged his godfather's arrival but otherwise didn't say anything to him.

After about ten minutes, Sirius's hair turned a shocking shade of lipstick pink. All his hair - his long locks, his little goatee and thin handlebar moustache, and it even looked like the hairs on the back of his hands and wrists - had also changed colour.

"Errr... Professor?" said Simon Montague, one of the seventh years. "Your hair's gone pink!"

Sirius dropped his cutlery and looked at the backs of his hands, then he pulled a lock of hair from the side of his head around to the front to try and get a look at it. He dropped it and glared straight at Harry, who was engaged in conversation with the lower years, and hadn't looked up.

Sirius bellowed down the length of the table, "Harry James *Woof!*" as he suddenly transfigured into his animagus form. A now, all pink, Irish Wolfhound.

The bellow had all heads in the room suddenly swivel towards Sirius, including Harry's.

"Harry James Woof?" called Harry, quite amused.

Very quickly after that, the long shaggy hair of the hound was suddenly frizzed and a whole lot dropped to the floor with a *poof*. What was left was a crazy person's interpretation of an Irish Wolfhound with a 'poodle cut' trying to stay seated in his chair at the end of the table. And then a large pink bow appeared tied into the hair between his ears.

One of the seventh year girls said, "Awww...!"

"Up at the head table, Headmistress McGonagall,watching what had happened to one of her professors, said with a small smile, "Oh, dear!"

Harry, trying and being very successful at, keeping a straight face, turned towards Neville and called, "My Lord Gryffindor; I would have words with a matching pair of your red-headed troublemakers!"

"It wasn't us..."

"...My Lord!"

"We'd admit it..."

"... if it was!"

Sirius, however, believed he knew _exactly_ who had done it to him. He half fell out of his chair to land on all four feet and galloped down the length of the table between Slytherin and Hufflepuff, growling as he came. Some of the girls from both houses tried to pat him as he dashed past.

Harry saw him coming, said "Oh, crap!" bolted out of his own chair and ran down the length of the table on the other side. Sirius didn't see him go until he arrived at the head end and, with a rump-sliding turn bolted back down the other side after Harry.

Harry had already reached about two thirds of the length of the table passing by the fifth years against the wall. He was yelling, "It wasn't me, Sirius!"

Knowing his godfather had rounded the corner at the other end and was barrelling after him, he did the only thing he could do, given the situation. He suddenly jinked left, put his left foot on a spot of bench between two fifth years, and vaulted over the table passing between two other students with his robes billowing out behind him. He landed on the floor between the Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs and bolted for the door.

He was cheered on by the Hufflepuffs and cat-called by the Gryffindors. As he made it to the double doors, he cried, "Cassie! Slam the doors shut!" And the big double doors to the Great Hall suddenly closed before Sirius could reach them.

With a second rump-sliding move Sirius tried to stop, but ended up smacking into the closed doors. All Harry heard was angry barking as he bolted for his apartment in the owner's section. Neither he nor Sirius noticed Hermione and Susan smirk at each other from their seats at their respective tables.

An hour later, a no longer pink and no longer wolfhound, but very miffed Professor Black, stormed into his Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He was, however, sporting the afro mohawk from Hell. Cut hair, even magically cut hair, does not grow back in an hour.

"Today," he snarled at his Third Year combined Gryffindor Slytherin DADA class, "we discuss the use of pranks in seeking _revenge_ on those who _dare_ attack you!"

Sitting up the back, the Weasley Twins looked at each other and said, "Cool!"

"Did you have a specific target in mind, Professor?" asked Lee Jordan, with as much innocence as he could muster.

"_Who!?_" barked Sirius. "Lord-_bloody_-Slytherin, Harry James Potter; _that's_ who! And you're going to help me!"

The twins and Lee Jordan all looked at each other and grinned.

# # #

Knowing his godfather was running a Third Year class, Harry felt it safe to exit the owner's suites and go in search of just who had set him up. He headed directly for the kitchens.

Tickling the pear to get in, he made his way into the inner workings of one of the busiest places in the castle. He made it only a dozen feet in before an elf popped into place in front of him. "Yes, Master Slyth'rin, Sir?" it asked.

Harry could see all the house elves were wearing the uniform he'd designed for them. It made them look like a well-oiled army of machines.

Hesitating just a moment he said, "I need to know if someone slipped a potion, or potions, into the food on the Slytherin table for breakfast, this morning."

"Oh, no, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!" the little elf said, almost in shock someone might have done such a thing. "_No one_ allowed to do that! House elves protect students and staff from that."

Harry frowned and, thinking a moment, asked, "What about table condiments, such as... No. That wouldn't be it, either."

"No one can touch the food until it leaves here, Master Slyth'rin, Sir," said the elf.

Still frowning, Harry asked, "Does the food leave from here and go directly to the tables in the Great Hall?"

"Yes, Master Slyth'rin, Sir," said the elf.

"Then, if it's not the food," said Harry, before understanding dawned. "What about the crockery and cutlery?" he asked.

Frowning, himself, the little elf replied, "They be all collected after each meal. They be brought to the kitchens and cleaned before being stored in the kitchen store. We not bring them out until just before the meals be served. Then, they be sent directly to the Great Hall."

Nodding, Harry said, "Show me the kitchen store."

The little elf grabbed Harry's hand and led him through the kitchens, through the cleaning area, and into the large storeroom containing all the castle cutlery and crockery.

"Is there any other way in here other than the way we've just come? Is there another access?" asked Harry.

"Oh, no, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!" the elf replied.

"Can a student, or staff member, get in here alone?"

"No, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!" the elf replied.

Thinking for a moment, Harry nodded. "Then the answer must be the cutlery and or plates while they sat on the tables within the Great Hall."

Turning to the elf he asked, "Has the crockery and cutlery from this morning's breakfast been cleaned yet?"

"Yes, Master Slyth'rin, Sir!" the elf replied.

"Damn!" said Harry to himself. "That would have been the 'smoking gun', if they hadn't."

Again, to the elf he said, "Then, I thank you for your answers and the impromptu tour. I'll be leaving your domain, for now." And Harry left through the way he came in, wiser as to how the prank had been pulled, literally, from under his godfather's nose. Mind you, he could also use it to prank others who sat in specific seats the same way, such as the other heirs, the House Counsellors and the head table.

"Ingenious," thought Harry. "At least, very smart."

It was impossible to make anything foolproof because fools can be just so bloody clever.

He decided to head back to the owner's suites common room to await his godfather. He just hoped he could tell him what he believed had happened before his godfather managed to hex his butt off.

Sirius, however, had not decided to head right for the owner's suites common room. He had plans of his own to make, based on the ideas he was given by his class. Plus, he had homework parchments, handed in early by the Ravenclaws, to mark. He remained in his own private apartment off the new DADA classroom, he felt it safer to move to another classroom, due to the old curse on the old classroom.

Harry had completely forgotten about his own prank ready to be triggered, given the right circumstances. And those circumstances were soon to occur.

# # #

Harry, after waiting in the owner's suites for a while, and there being no sign of Sirius - though, Remus turned up shortly after his own class - left to have an early lunch. He was pretty sure that, if he was in the Great Hall with a crowd of people around him, his godfather wouldn't hex his butt off.

Harry was deep in conversation with some Fourth Year Slytherins - who had sent the First Year down to the middle of the table claiming it was only fair they get to talk to the lord of their House for at least _one_ meal - when Sirius arrived. His godfather merely glared at him for a moment before he smiled and gave the boy a nod; as if to signify 'Let the prank war begin'. Harry shuddered but sent his godfather a note protesting his innocence of the prank and what he had discovered from the elves in the kitchen.

After Sirius had read the note he looked down the length of the table and, catching the eye of his godson, gave him a nod. 'Maybe the lad wasn't responsible for the prank, after all,' he thought.

Harry left soon after and headed back to the owners' common room, making sure he walked between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables as he did so. He didn't want to be in reach of his godfather until he had a chance to talk to him, one-on-one.

As Harry was heading for the owners' suites he passed through the grand staircase area. He didn't even think about the prank he had set up a couple of days earlier.

# # #

Remus approached Sirius and asked if he wanted to join him. He was heading for the owners' suites and wanted to ask Harry what had been decided about uniting the Hallows.

Sirius gave a shrug and, rising, said, "I need to talk to the Pup, anyway. I think I may have judged him unfairly in thinking it was _he_ who pranked me, this morning."

About to exit the Great Hall, they were approached by Professor Flitwick. "Oh, Gentlemen," called Filius, "mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," said Remus. "Heading for the Ravenclaw Tower?"

"Of course, of course!" replied Filius. "And where might you be heading?"

"For the owners' suites," said Sirius just as they entered the bottom of the moving staircases. "I need to see, His Holiness, Lord..."

Loud music suddenly began drifting down the tower through the stairs.

"... Sliittthhhh...!?"

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_." The paintings all started to sing and dance. "_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

All three stood there, completely stunned. There were also quite a decent number of students on the stairs above them looking around.

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

Filius scurried over to one of the paintings, pulling his wand out as he went.

"_When the party was nice, the party was jumpin' (Hey, Yippie, Yi, Yo)_"

"_And everybody havin' a ball (Hah, ho, Yippie Yi Yo)_"

"I must say," he said, waving his wand over the bottom of the painting and calling back, "that's some _impressive_ charms work!"

"_I tell the fellas 'start the name callin'' (Yippie Yi Yo)_"

"_And the girls report to the call_"

"_The poor dog show down_"

Some of the students were also beginning to dance.

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

A couple of the, clearly mundane-raised, students were beginning to sing along to the chorus while dancing.

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

"You do realise," said Sirius with a straight face, "the boy must die."

"_I see ya' little speed boat head up our coast_"

Nodding, Remus replied, "The prank war has been declared!"

"_She really want to skip town_"

"_Get back off me, beast off me_"

"_Get back you flea infested mongrel_"

Hearing those words, Sirius growled.

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

"_Who let the dogs out? (Woof! Woof! Woofwoof!)_"

Harry, about to enter the owners' suites and had the door open, heard the music and singing coming from the grand staircase. He froze for a moment and, dropping his head to his chest, moaned, "Oh, God. I forgot about that."

Hermione was already inside. She came out when she heard the music and said to Harry in a sing-song voice, "Ooooh, _you're_ in _trah_-ble!"

"Oh, God!" moaned Harry. "Sirius is gonna kill me; if Remus doesn't reach me first." Before heading in to the owners' suites common room.

Harry spent a good part of the morning being chased around the common room of the owners' suites with his godfather throwing minor hexes his way. Remus was munching on, of all things, a bowl of popcorn he had a house elf bring him while Sirius was chasing his godson.

Harry, however, wouldn't have minded that so much if his 'second uncle' hadn't also been offering suggestions on hexes to his godfather while he was doing the chasing.

# # #

Harry had gathered the other heirs and, together, they sat in their common room. It was time for Harry to unite the Deathly Hallows. Before him, on the coffee table were the folded True Cloak of Invisibility; and the Resurrection Stone, still attached to its horcrux-bearing Head of House ring for Gaunt.

"Are you ready to do this, Harry?" asked Neville.

"It needs to be done," replied Harry. "I do this today, and tomorrow we end Riddle's existence. It's going to save many lives."

"The downside," said Hermione, "is that it places you in even further danger. Wizards and witches from around the world are going to want that wand."

"And that's where I lie through my teeth!" said Harry. "It'll be 'bonded' to me. Through some wandless summoning charms I can make it seem like it cannot be taken from me. I'll also be telling people it's bonded to me through blood, bone and magic. If anyone else tries to use it after taking it from me through force, magic will turn on them and kill them."

"That'll do it," said Neville with a shrug and a chuckle.

"Okay," said Harry. "Are we ready for this?"

Sirius shrugged and said, "Now's as good a time as any, Pup. Is there anything we can do to help?"

"No," replied Harry. Then he sighed and stood. "If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it on my feet. No doubt someone will want to... I don't know... write something down for the history pages, I suppose."

Neville just snorted in amusement.

"Hey!" said Harry. "It is something... momentous... is it not?"

Susan said a bit smirkily, "Maybe you should say something grand as you begin."

Harry blew her a raspberry.

Hermione, already with a quill and parchment before her, asked quite sugary sweetly, "Would you mind spelling that for me?"

Neville snorted in amusement again.

"Comedians; the bloody lot of you!" said Harry.

Bending forward he picked up the invisibility cloak and held it before him. He didn't need to check the words of the summoning or the ritual, as he had them already memorised.

"I, Harry James Potter, true heir of the brothers Peverell; summon that which is mine by birthright; through blood, bone and magic I summon for the Ritual of Reunification, the wand fragment known as the True Cloak of Invisibility. So mote it be."

The cloak began to float free of his hands before him. Harry then moved his hands to each side just apart from the edges of the cloak. He began to pump magic into his hands and, from them, into the space between them.

"I, Harry James Potter, true heir of the brothers Peverell; summon that which is mine by birthright; through blood, bone and magic I summon for the Ritual of Reunification, the wand fragment known as the Resurrection Stone. So mote it be."

The joined ring of the Head of House Gaunt and the Resurrection Stone levitated a moment above where it rested on the coffee table. The ring suddenly dropped free back onto the tabletop and the stone suddenly disappeared from where it hovered to suddenly reappear floating above the cloak.

"I, Harry James Potter, true heir of the brothers Peverell; summon that which is mine by birthright; through blood, bone and magic I summon for the Ritual of Reunification, the wand fragment known as the Elder Wand. So mote it be."

A few moments later the Elder Wand, last seen still in the possession of Dumbledore, suddenly reappeared floating above the cloak with the end of the handle of the wand almost touching the Resurrection Stone.

"I, Harry James Potter, being in possession of the three wand fragments known as the Deathly Hallows, call to magics old and new to heed my request and reunify that which was torn asunder. So mote it be. So mote it be. So mote it be!"

On the last 'be' Harry felt his magic surge down his arms and into the space between them, into the three Hallows. He found he couldn't move as the three Hallows began to slightly glow. He felt magic surging through him as if it was truly alive and was... testing him; testing his worth.

The three Hallows became encased in a field of almost pure magic and Harry felt his hands being pushed a little further apart. The effort he took from him in magic was so strong it almost hurt.

The Resurrection Stone and Elder Wand moved together with one of the points of the stone connecting solidly with the base of the handle of the wand. The dark, murky green of the stone gave way to become what appeared to be an emerald. Then the two joined items began to spin down the length of the wand; gaining speed. A few moments and it was spinning so fast the edges of the stone, and the grain on the wood became a blur.

The cloak spread out below Harry's hands and began to unravel. The finest of threads came up and began to wrap itself around the wand. Very quickly the wand and stone, spinning rapidly, began pulling at the thread of the cloak faster and faster. The light coming from the joining of the three was almost too bright to look within. The length of wood began to be encased in the thread of the cloak, like a sewing bobby being wrapped in cotton thread.

After what felt like a near eternity to Harry, but was really no more than a few seconds, the thread had ended and the cloak was gone; now encasing the full length of the Elder Wand. The wand started slowing down its spinning. A few moments later it stopped. Then the sphere of magic between Harry's hands began to contract. As it did the light coming from within brightened until it was too bright to look directly within.

Harry, not being able to turn away, had to tightly close his eyes.

With an almost audible snap of magic the light was gone. Harry opened his eyes.

There, before him hovered a black wand with an emerald focus stone in the base of the handle. It was a touch thicker than Harry's own, but not too much. And slightly longer, too.

Harry reached out and grasped it by the handle. It almost felt like a wave of magic surged down his arm as he grasped it. Magic poured through him.

Holding it upright, he gently cast a Lumos Charm. A very bright light burst forth from the tip of the wand. With a Nox he cancelled the charm.

Still holding it in his hand, he lowered it to his side looking quite stunned.

The other five in the room - the other three heirs, Sirius and Remus - were staring back, also quite stunned.

"Whoa," said Harry softly.

"I'll say," said Remus. "_That_ is one _powerful_ wand. I can feel its... energy... from here."

Harry still hadn't moved. He seemed slightly dazed and was staring off into the distance.

"Pup?" called Sirius, the first to notice.

"I know," said Harry.

"Know what, Pup?" asked Sirius.

"I know how to defeat Voldemort. I know how to recombine his soul. I know how to banish him from this plane of existence... or just _end_ him forever," replied Harry, still with the same soft voice of awe. "I know."

"So," asked Neville, "we're ready for tomorrow morning, then?"

Nodding his head slowly, still staring off into space, Harry replied as a grin slowly spread across his face, "Oh, yeah."

# # #

After breakfast, the next morning, the house elves reconfigured the Great Hall. The students were already on their way to classes or were told they weren't to enter the Great Hall until the press conference was complete.

Harry had the elves set up a small hip-height table on the dais where the staff table was normally located. And, at the leading edge of the dais, he had Hogwarts set up a powerful multi-layered ward to block magical attacks. Sitting at one end of the table he had the Gaunt ring hidden under a Notice-Me-Not Charm.

About ten feet behind the table in the middle of the dais was one of the big portable blackboards. No one could see what was written on the board from the front, just as they'd done with the prophecy the other day.

Looking at the dais from the doors there were a half dozen comfortable chairs against the side wall, near where the door leading to the Hall's antechamber was located. Harry wanted the other three heirs and the Grangers on the dais with him, where they'd be protected by the ward from attack.

In front of the dais, where the House tables normally sat, he had the elves configure the Hall with a row of low benches and chairs for the journalists to sit on one side, giving them an uninterruptible view of the dais. The rest of the Hall was filled with normal seating on tiers similar to the Wizengamot chamber, but much lower to the ground. The front row were at ground level.

While he had been conversing with the elves Neville entered the Hall and approached. Having been instructed to ensure the ghosts within the castle did not enter the Hall, the elf popped away.

"There's quite a large crowd outside the gates, Harry," said Neville. "It's almost time."

"Have Sirius and Remus gone to get the Grangers yet?" asked Harry.

"Yeah," replied Neville. "They left about fifteen minutes ago."

Nodding, Harry said, "Okay. When they arrive back in our common room, have them head directly here."

However, no sooner were the words out of his mouth, when Dan and Emma entered with Hermione, Susan, Sirius and Remus. Dan and Emma were wearing a large ring each on their left hands. The rings were manufactured the night before by Harry to allow the two Grangers to see everything a magic user could see. It brought them up to the level of a squib.

Dan and Emma were looking about in wonder and awe at the majesty of the castle, especially the ceiling of the Hall, like First Years do when they first arrive. To hide their identity both Grangers were dressed in fine robes rather than mundane clothing.

The small party joined Harry and Neville just in front of the dais.

"Bloody hell, Harry," said Dan. "This place is..."

Harry grinned and said, "I know. Words cannot describe it."

Thinking a bit Harry then tilted his head slightly to the side while looking at the Grangers. It was Emma who noticed it first.

"What?" she asked, before Dan also looked back.

"Thank you," replied Harry simply but softly.

"For what?" she asked.

"For, again, opening my eyes to the wonder that is magic," replied Harry with a smile. "When you're around this..." he gestured about, "... all the time, you forget just how wondrous it actually is."

Emma surged forward and enveloped Harry in a hug. "You're welcome," she said.

Susan entered and called, " It is 9.10am. Hogwarts has opened the gates and people are approaching up the walkway."

Breaking her grip on Harry, Emma stepped back to stand with Dan.

Harry said, "If you two would like to take seats I'll need to go to the front doors to greet our... guests."

Harry waited a moment to watch Dan and Emma take seats along the front row near where the journalists would sit.

"We have to go, Pup," said Sirius. "Our classes will be getting... raucous with us not there."

"Okay, Sirius," replied Harry.

"Good luck, Cub," said Remus, before he and Sirius left to head to their own classes.

Harry, with Neville and Hermione, headed for the front doors of the castle to join Susan.

As all four heirs stood just inside the Entrance Hall with both front doors wide open, they watched as the procession of wizarding adults made its way towards the castle. Harry could see Amelia leading the procession with two aurors either side holding back the small tide of humanity from rushing forward.

The four heirs were soon joined by the two aurors nominally stationed within Hogwarts but who rarely made their presences felt at other times. Harry had nearly forgotten about them. He figured they were normally using invisibility cloaks.

"Hogwarts," Harry softly called, "Are there any within the approaching crowd who are secreting upon their persons anything considered a dark artefact, or something that is likely to be used against us?"

He received an affirmative impression.

"Apparate those persons to the main street of Hogsmeade and refuse them any further access," he instructed.

Harry didn't see it but... felt... five people from within the crowd suddenly be apparated out. The crowd seemed to shudder for a moment before it continued forward.

"Is Albus Dumbledore within the crowd?"

Another affirmative impression.

"If he's under some sort of glamour or invisibility artefact, don't strip it from him; just place a sunflower on his hat or in his hair where it can be easily seen. Don't allow him to notice it."

An impression of satisfaction.

"Is anyone carrying a portkey?"

Another affirmative impression.

"Deactivate them on their persons, but leave them in place."

Satisfaction.

Harry thought furiously looking for any other risks. He couldn't think of any.

Hermione then asked, "Are any of them carrying a non-magical firearm or other form of explosive?"

A negative impression.

One of the aurors stationed with them looked at Hermione curiously.

Harry smiled back and said, "I'm not taking any chances. If there's anything you can think of, I'd love to hear it."

The auror frowned for a moment before glancing at his partner, a female auror. Both shook their heads. Neither were the loquacious sort.

"In that case, I think we're ready," said Harry.

Harry then led the other three back into the Great Hall and all four mounted the dais to stand side by side. The Grangers were already sitting in the chairs off to the side. They'd no sooner reached the raised platform when Amelia led the crowd into the Hall.

"Do not approach the dais!" she commanded over the crowd. "Take a seat and keep your noise down! Anyone who disregards these orders, or thinks the rules do not apply to them, will be apparated directly back outside the gates. You have been warned."

Neville then called out, "Journalists will sit over there," and indicated the chairs and desks set aside for them.

Even though the crowd was still far enough back it heard the instructions in plenty of time, one female journalist disregarded them and raced to the dais. As she got within a foot of the dais she suddenly disapparated with a loud crack and was gone.

Others, who saw the first journalist race forward and were about to do the same, suddenly skidded to a halt and reeled back in shock.

"You were warned, people!" bellowed Susan. In a quieter voice she said, "Go and take a seat _where_ you were _told_ or you will be _joining_ your colleague in Hogsmeade, unable to return." The journalists, though not liking it very much, did as they were told.

The crowd then made a more-or-less orderly effort to find seats and be seated. Most kept looking back at the four heirs as they were finding seats. The only ones still standing were the Aurors, who were standing along the walls and out beside the doors leading in to the Hall.

Harry looked around and saw an elderly woman wearing a large sunflower in her hat transform a simple chair in the second row next to the centre isle into a far more elegant one with arms and all, before sitting in it.

Harry couldn't help but share a smirk with the others. No matter what form Dumbledore took, his actions always easily identified him for who he truly was. The man couldn't help himself. Harry wondered why almost everyone else was completely oblivious of it.

As the last people were in the process of taking their seats, one of the reporters, who had already found a seat and had a dicta-quill running, called out asking, "When did you discover you were one of the heirs of the founders; and who was the first?"

That set other journalists trying to ask questions.

None of the four answered.

Hermione held up her hand in the stop gesture and waited until she had a modicum of silence before saying, "It is not yet 9.30am. At 9.30am we shall begin. Until after you are given the... presentation... we have arranged for you, none of your questions will be answered."

That set forth a whole rush of demands from mainly the journalists. "The people have a right to know!" yelled one. "You called this press conference..."

Suddenly, the entire collection of journalists went silent. They were all still trying to yell questions and demands but there was no sound. "You were warned," said Hermione.

Harry turned to look at his fellow heirs when Susan gave a knowing smile and looked to the ceiling. 'Ah!' he thought. Susan had called on Hogwarts to silence them.

As the last few stragglers rushed in to take seats, nearly filling the front half of the Hall, Harry looked out across the gathering. He saw journalists from across the magical world all filling in the journalist's area. He saw many workers from the Ministry, some fellow Lords and Ladies - including Madam Marchbanks -almost every Head of a Department, and not a few who were clearly Unspeakables. The Unspeakables sat right at the back.

At 9.30am, Neville led Hermione and Susan off to the side of the dais and, like the gentleman he was, seated them either side of himself with Hermione sitting next to her parents. As anticipated, no one was sitting in front of Dumbledore where he was sitting. None of the four heirs wanted the old man to miss a second of this. Harry was left, alone, at the centre of the dais.

"Greetings; and welcome to Hogwarts," he said with a slight amplification to his voice. "For those who attended school here, or were members of staff, welcome back."

"Today, I hope to solve a major problem for wizarding Britain. But, before I do that, for those who don't understand about a prophecy concerning myself and the person you know as Voldemort..."there was a collective gasp as Harry mentioned the feared name, "... you need to learn what part of it states."

Harry then spun the board about. On it was the first four lines of the prophecy. That which was on the middle board that Dumbledore thought was probably the entire prophecy until Harry and the others disabused him of that notion. He then read it out for those who couldn't read it clearly for themselves.

After he finished he gave them a moment to digest it all. Then he said, "The thing the prophecy does _not_ make clear is that Voldemort is _not_ a Lord. His real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, born the half blood bastard of a near-squib witch by the name of Merope Gaunt, and a mundane by the name of Thomas Riddle. Both lived in the village of Little Hangleton."

As he was speaking he 'fire-wrote' the name 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' in capitals in the air, then allowed each letter to drop into its position for 'I am Lord Voldemort'. He left it there a few moments.

As he watched the audience watch the last of the shifting letters, one of the aurors jumped forth and, drawing his wand, yelled, "You lie! Avada Ked..." The auror was suddenly hit from the ceiling by a bolt of energy and dropped dead where he stood, the killing curse dying on his lips.

Harry waited a moment as people reeled back and gasped in shock, before saying almost conversationally, "I wonder why he thought it was a good idea to attempt to attack a Lord within his _own home_. Clearly, the man was suicidal."

Amelia sent two of her other aurors over to levitate the corpse and take it from the Hall. She turned to the audience and glared before saying, "If there's anyone else here thinking of doing something so stupid, you'd better leave now."

No one moved. Harry doubted anyone dared.

Pausing for a moment, with a clap of his hands to draw everyone's attention back him again, Harry said, "Okay, where were we?... Oh, yes. Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"So, Tommy was... is... a half blood bastard who pulled the proverbial wool over the eyes of pretty much all of his followers, leading them to believe he was some powerful pure blood Lord. As you can see; he wasn't. You will find information concerning Tom Marvolo Riddle in your own Ministry records, as well as up in the Trophy Room, here, in the castle.

"So, I'm left wondering, as should you all, just why the prophecy states 'Dark Lord' when it should state 'Dark Wizard'." Harry just shrugged.

"Now, that's the background information. I encourage the media to do their own further research into the truth of what I've said here today. And that brings me into what I'm about to do now."

"Please be assured that there's a very powerful ward in place around where I currently stand. It covers the entirety of the dais. If you attempt to approach from now on, or interfere in any other way, you... will... die! You may only approach with my direct and freely given permission. You have been warned. And you are all otherwise perfectly safe where you are."

A few murmurs arose from the audience, but no one attempted to interfere.

Harry then drew forth from his sleeve his new wand, the Wand of Magic. He approached the table from behind and removed the Notice-Me-Not Charm on the ring.

"This is the Head of House ring for the Most Ancient House of Gaunt," he said. "It contains within it one part of the _fractured soul_ of Dark Wizard Riddle. I'm going to draw it forth and contain it. Then, I'm going to summon the rest of Riddle's fractured soul and reunify it. He will not have a body and will be unable to harm anyone; except, maybe, swear a lot. Please, _do not _attempt to _interrupt_ what I am doing. Doing so may prove... catastrophic."

Harry then pointed his wand tip at the ring and, with magic's help, stripped from it all the enchantments Riddle had placed upon it in his attempt to keep it safe. With the last one gone he was left with just the soul fragment within it. This he drew forth. It was in the form of a black wraith.

Drawing his wand tip back he moved it to one side, his left, with the wraith attached to the wand tip. There were quite a few gasps of shock or fear from the audience.

He shot out his left hand and 'grabbed' the wraith by its 'chest' where its heart would be if it was human. And drew the wand back without it. Harry then stood there holding the wraith with his left hand.

Some of those in the audience had tried to flee but found themselves unable to move from their seats. Neville calmly stood and, catching Harry's attention, turned to the audience, held his right hand aloft and bellowed, "Gryffindor!" The sword appeared in his hand. Lowering and holding the sword to his chest, he bellowed, "Silence!"

Nearly everyone in the audience stopped in mute shock.

"You people were told to be silent!" he continued. "Now, calm down!" Then, after a glare directed across the audience, calmly turned around again and sat down allowing the sword to fade away again.

Harry gave him a nod and turned back to face the wraith. He aimed his wand to the centre of the wraith before him and intoned, "I, Harry James Potter, acting as Herald of Magic, call on magics new and old. I seek to recombine the soul of the one known as Tom Marvolo Riddle. I ask of magic to bring his soul together. I need of magic to bring those portions of his soul to me. So mote it be!"

On the table before him, next to the now de-horcruxed ring, Harry saw five artefacts appear; the diary of T.M. Riddle, the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff, the locket of Salazaar Slytherin, and the cape broach of Godric Gryffindor. Just as suddenly, in the air above the table, appeared a second wraith.

Harry stabbed it with the tip of his wand. It silently screamed. It was easily the smallest of the fragments.

With an almost gentleness, Harry dragged the second wraith sideways, and pushed it into the first, merging the two into a single whole.

With the merging of the two, instead of a black wraith, there and held by his left hand, writhed a dark grey ghost. Harry recognised it for what it was, part of the soul of Tom Riddle.

He then pulled the wand tip away leaving the wraith ghost held by his left hand through its chest.

The audience was utterly silent as it watched. Their fearfulness dissipating.

He pointed the wand at the first item, the diary. There was a compulsion charm enchantment placed on it for the bearer to write within it. And a curse that enabled the soul fragment to use it to start to take over the mind of the bearer. He stripped those away.

Using the wand tip, he then pulled from the diary the largest of all the fragments. It was the first horcrux Tom had made, so it contained a full half of Riddle's soul. This time it definitely screamed. It was heard by everyone in the Hall. Some of the female attendees, and possibly even a male or two, fainted. Harry noticed a couple of aurors moving to help them.

He pulled from it a second dark grey ghost and pushed it into the first. As they merged it was clear he was holding a good portion of the soul of Riddle. It looked just like Voldemort did just before he died on the Thirty First of October, 1981.

"_Potter!_" it screamed at him. "_What are you doing?_"

"I'm righting a great wrong, Tom," replied a calm Harry. "Magic is not happy with you. You desecrated its gift."

"_I'm going to kill you, Potter!_" the ghost screamed.

"Yeah, yeah," replied Harry. "Take a number and wait in line."

Turning to the audience, he calmly said, " As you folks can now recognise, I hold within the grasp of my left hand part of the soul of he you know as Voldemort."

"_You'll die a death of _extreme_ agony for this, Potter!_" the ghost screamed at him again.

Aiming his wand at the artefacts before him, Harry calmly asked the shade, "Do you recognise these, Tom?"

Though it couldn't do such a thing, the ghost attempted to rear back in shock. "_Where did you get those, Potter?!_"

"Magic gave them to me, Tom," replied Harry, starting to carefully remove the enchantments and curses on the next item, the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw.

Frowning, Harry realised there were much deeper, and more powerful, enchantments on the item that predated its use as a horcrux. He decided to leave them alone, for now. He only wanted to strip away the curses that Riddle had placed upon it.

After removing the compulsion charm to don the diadem, and the one to allow the soul piece within to take over the mind of the wearer, he was left with the soul containing enchantment. Again, he drew the soul fragment partly out before stabbing it with the wand tip.

"_Potter!_" screamed the ghost in his left hand. "_Stop that, or I will torture you for _eternity_! I will _never_ allow you rest or respite. You will _beg_ me over and over again for release!_"

Ignoring the ghost, Harry continued to drew the fragment out of the diadem with his wand piece. Once completely free, he pushed it into the ghost in his hand.

Riddle screamed in agony as the soul fragment was returned to him. Once more it fused. More and more the darkness of the colour of the ghost faded.

Harry then repeated the process on the next item, the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff.

What he didn't see, as he had no attention to pay to anyone else, was one of the aurors from along the wall pulling a large knife from a hidden area within their robes.

The man then charged forward with the knife and attempted to jump onto the dais. He hit the ward and was flung backwards; dead before he hit the floor. The knife clattering away across the stones.

Nobody moved to check on him.

As the soul fragment from the Cup was rejoined to the part in Harry's left hand, the ghost of Tom Riddle screamed again.

Harry moved on to the locket and, finally, onto the broach.

As the soul fragment from the broach, the final piece - except for the small fragment that Myrrdin destroyed five years earlier in real time in the pocket dimension - finally turned the ghost into the full corporeal silvery white form everyone recognised as ghosts. There, in Harry's left hand, writhed the form of Tom Riddle.

"_How _dare_ you, _Potter_!_" the ghost screamed in hate, loathing and no little amount of fear. "_How _dare_ you!_"

Harry then held the wand tip to what little remained of his scar. With a little bit of conjuring, he made it appear he drew from his scar a small piece of wraith, and flung it at the ghost. As it hit, he banished it.

'That should silence anyone Dumbledore might have confided in about my scar,' he thought.

"Okay, Tom," said Harry in a calm voice. "I, Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin, Head of the Most Ancient House of Gaunt, do hereby strip from you all your worldly possessions to claim as my own. So mote it be."

A flash shot from the ghost of Riddle into Harry.

"_No!_" screamed the ghost in shock. "I_ am the heir of Salazaar Slytherin. _I_ am Head of the House of Slytherin. How _dare_ you!_"

"You're dead, remember, Tom," replied Harry. "The dead lose their Headships at the moment of their death, remember? And, silly ghost, I wear the ring."

With that, Harry held up his right hand showing the ghost the ring showing his Lordship over the House of Slytherin.

The ghost stared at the ring in shock.

"I am Lord Slytherin, I am Salazaar's heir, you can no longer make that claim," said Harry.

The ghost still stared at the ring before he locked eyes with Harry.

Harry said, "As your Head of House I command you to answer my questions."

"_I'm going to kill you Potter!_" the ghost screamed. "_I'm going to kill you a thousand times over!_"

"No, you're not," replied Harry. "Now, who taught you how to create soul anchors?"

The ghost struggled anew in Harry's grip. It continued to struggle until it suddenly screamed. The ghost of Riddle suddenly spat, "_Albus Dumbledore! Albus Dumbledore showed me when I was a student!_"

Harry, though suddenly stunned into immobility for a moment, snapped his head to look right at Dumbledore where he was posing as the old lady. Neville moved almost as fast and was out of his chair and drawing a wand. However, Hogwarts was far faster.

From where he was trying to draw his original wand while in the process of standing, having already broken the enchantment holding him to his own chair, Dumbledore was slammed back into his seat. Iron bands flashed into place about his chest, lower arms and lower legs pinning him in place to his own configured chair.

He only gave a muffled, "Oof!" before he was also gagged.

Seeing Dumbledore secured, Harry turned back to look at the ghost of Riddle.

"_How?_" he snapped.

Riddle tried not to answer but with a near scream he blurted, "_He murdered Myrtle Malone. A Ravenclaw student in my fifth year! In 1943!_"

"Myrtle Malone?" asked Harry.

Hermione piped up and said, "I think he means Moaning Myrtle, the ghost in the second floor girls' bathroom."

Harry looked back at Riddle and asked, "Was Myrtle Malone, Moaning Myrtle, the girl killed the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened?"

"_Yes!_" screamed Riddle.

"Did Albus Dumbledore open the Chamber of Secrets?" demanded Harry.

"_No! I did!_" screamed Riddle.

"How did she die?" snarled Harry.

Moaning and sagging in Harry's grip, Riddle replied, "I was bringing Slytherin's giant basilisk from the Chamber. Malone was in the girls' bathroom and saw the reflection of the basilisk's gaze in the mirror while she was washing her face. The basilisk petrified her! I had to hurriedly order the basilisk back down the passage into the chamber. While I was closing the entrance Dumbledore walked in. He killed the girl to cover it up. And he told me to blame Rubeus Hagrid for it!

"Then I followed him back to the Headmaster's office. He froze all the paintings so they couldn't watch and drew out a phoenix fresh from a burning day he had locked under a stasis field. He then performed the rite to fracture his soul and stuff part of it into the phoenix. It bound the phoenix to him."

Harry turned to glare at Dumbledore with hate filled eyes before turning back to Riddle's ghost.

"So," he asked, "Rubeus Hagrid was completely innocent of the charge of both opening the Chamber, and of causing Myrtle Malone's death?"

"Yes!"

Harry then asked, "Did you use that knowledge to then create your first soul anchor?"

"Yes!" replied a beaten Riddle. "I killed my birth father, a muggle, and used my own diary for my first one."

"How did you know you could create more?" asked a seething Harry.

"From Professor Slughorn," replied Riddle. "He hinted that more than one could be made under specific circumstances. I picked six as it would mean seven pieces of soul. Seven being a prime magical number."

Glaring at the ghost of his mortal enemy, Harry thought for a few moments. He then asked, "The dark mark. How is it unable to be removed?"

"Only a parselmouth, using parseltongue, can unlock them," replied the ghost. "The spells are linked to the magical core of the bearer using part of their own fractured soul. If the mark is destroyed the soul is destroyed along with it. Only I have control, in every sense, of the mark."

"Fractured soul?" asked Harry. "How do their souls become fractured?"

"They have to commit murder of an innocent," replied the ghost.

"_Innocent?_" asked Harry warily. "What do you mean by the term '_innocent_'?"

"Someone whose own soul is undamaged by evil acts," replied the ghost. "Such can usually only be found in a small child."

Thinking a bit, Harry then asked, "And how does it fracture their own soul if they were under the Imperius Curse or some other form of compulsion, such as blackmail?"

Dolefully, shaking his head, Riddle replied, "That won't work. If they were under compulsion, such as the Curse, then it is the evil act of the person casting the curse, not the person committing the act. You can only fracture your soul if you commit the act of murder _willingly_. Of your own free will."

While focussing on Riddle's ghost, Harry didn't see Amelia signalling her remaining aurors forward. Nor did he see the aurors place Lucius Malfoy, Bevis Mulciber, Hamish MacFarlan and a few others under wand point, before stunning them, placing magic resistant manacles on them, tying them up with the Incarcerous Charm and placing a black bag over their heads where they sat unable to move.

Nodding his head, Harry then asked, "What are the names of all your Death Eaters, both marked and unmarked?"

And Riddle started listing them all down. He took a few minutes to list them all. There were a few names of existing aurors; one unspeakable, Rookwood; and a couple of Healers from Saint Mungo's.

"And, what are the names of the people who are not Death Eaters you know support you?"

Riddle listed another dozen names.

Thinking a bit more, Harry then turned to look for Amelia. He saw her finishing up cuffing and incarcerating someone from within the audience. His left arm was beginning to ache a bit from holding it out the way he was.

"Madam Bones?" he asked. "Any questions of this scumbag before I cast sentence as his Head of House?"

Amelia strode forward and stopped short of the ward. "No, Lord Slytherin, I think I have everything I need."

Neville stood and stepped forward. "I do," he said.

Turning to look at his friend, Harry asked, "Yes, Lord Gryffindor?"

Glaring at Riddle's ghost, Neville demanded, "How did the Imperius Curse cause my parents to stay in a coma?"

Harry turned back to the ghost, waiting for the answer. Riddle just glared back at Neville.

Wondering why the ghost wasn't answering it took Harry a few moments to figure out why. Neville had no control over the ghost and had no authority to demand answers of him.

Harry gave the ghost a shake and demanded, "Well? Lord Gryffindor asked you a question. How did the Imperius Curse cause his parents to fall into and stay in a coma?"

Being 'bodily' shaken upset the ghost. Riddle wasn't accustomed to be treated so roughly. He glared at Harry and snarled, "_It couldn't!_"

"Then why are they still in a coma?" demanded Harry. "You will tell me what you know or suspect! Now!"

The ghost glared back and snarled, "_Bellatrix used family magic from the House of Black to lock them into a coma state!_ As it was family magic I could not _delve_ into her mind to find out how she did it."

"And what do you _suspect_ she did?" asked Harry snarling right back. "What _sort_ of magic are we looking for to learn how she did it?"

The ghost replied, "It's a form of _mind_ magic. When I asked Bellatrix how she did it she even gave me the name of the book."

"What is the title of the book?" asked Harry

"'_Mind Arts and the Darkness_'," snapped Riddle.

Turning to Neville, Harry instructed, "Get Sirius to go through the Black family library for you. Tell him what we learned here and what he needs to look for."

Neville gave one short, sharp nod, spun on his heel and bolted.

"Neville!" called Harry.

Neville skidded to a halt and spun back to face Harry.

"Send a house elf to get him here," suggested Harry.

Realisation dawning on Neville, he grinned back a bit sheepishly and blushed. Harry didn't wait to see what Neville would do. They now had a lead to bring Neville's parents back to him. He returned to his seat.

Turning back to Riddle, Harry asked, "Any last words before I sentence you, Tom?"

Knowing his torture was coming to a close, Riddle snarled, "_You can't stop me, Potter!_ I'm a _ghost_ now; and you have to release me some time. Then, I'll just find a willing host, _possess them_, and come after you!"

"There is _no_ coming back from what's about to happen to you, Tom," said Harry. "Goodbye."

Harry raised his wand and pointed it next to his hand with the tip just inside the ghost of Riddle's chest.

He intoned, "I, Harry James Potter, Head of the Most Ancient House of Gaunt and Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin, hereby strip you of _all_ your magic," he intoned. Before then snarling out, "_So mote it be!_"

Immediately, Harry felt a surge of magic surge back up his wand arm as Riddle's magic began to be stripped from him; sucked out of him like a fire hose. The feeling was like a burning sensation up his arm and out the back of his shoulder.

Riddle arched his back and snapped his head back as the pull on his magic surged out of him and into the tip of Harry's wand. He screamed.

As the magic continued to pull from his spirit, Riddle was able to lower his chin and grit his ghostly teeth as the magic continued to pull. He stared back at Harry in fury.

What no one else saw was the Death Eaters in the room who were still conscious, or had returned to consciousness, try to hold their arms against their chests to lessen the pain they were feeling. Not even they knew what was happening to them, only that they must have been feeling their master's pain.

Harry didn't see that the magic he was drawing from Riddle was spraying out like a hose from the back of his shoulder. Or where it was going. It hit both Granger parents full on, with not a little also striking Hermione. Neville and Susan had both been able to dive forward and away and were not struck. Hermione, after a few seconds, toppled over to the side and out of the stream, out cold. Her parents were not so lucky. They were pinned in place by the force of the spray.

Harry was still pulling magic from Riddle's spirit form, surprised by just how much he was drawing, or the pain it was causing in his hand, arm and shoulder. He wondered how the hell Riddle had developed such an exceptionally large core. He put it down to dark rituals. However, he just gritted his teeth and didn't stop drawing it out.

As the last of the magic, finally, was being drawn from Riddle, he didn't notice the marked Death Eaters in the room pass out. No one did.

With his wand almost glowing, so filled with magic it was, Harry also didn't notice he had burned his right hand where it gripped the wand. And he didn't notice the residue magic in the wand instantly healed his hand and the magical channels in his arm and the back of his shoulder.

The ghost of Tom Riddle was sagging in his hand.

"Harry!" cried Susan.

Harry, panting with the effort it took to draw the magic from Riddle, turned his head to look at where the other heirs and Susan were sitting. There, he saw Hermione on the ground with her parents also lying on the floor. He didn't know what had happened but it looked bad. Susan was cradling Hermione's head while Neville was checking on the Granger parents.

"Dobby!" called Harry.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir?" asked the elf standing to Harry's side.

Harry gestured towards the Grangers with his chin and said, "Get the Grangers and Lady Ravenclaw to infirmary immediately! They're hurt!"

"Yes, Master Harry Potter, Sir!" exclaimed the elf.

He popped over to the Grangers and then immediately popped with the three of them out of the Hall.

Stilling looking over to where the heirs and Grangers were sitting he could see what appeared to be ice crystals in a spray pattern on the wall. The only missing part where the two outlines of the adult Grangers and the three chairs.

"Susan," he called. "Can you go up to the infirmary and see if they need help, please?"

Susan gave a quick nod of her head and bolted from the room. She was chased out the door by Madam Bones and an auror Harry recognised as the auror corps's in-house healer.

Harry turned back to look at the ghost and said, "There, Tom. No more magic for you. You're not even a squib. If you had been alive when I did that, it would have killed you. But, as you're already dead, you're even 'deader'."

The ghost just looked up and let out an ethereal snort. "Funny, aren't you?" he snidely asked.

"Maybe," replied Harry. "But I'm not finished yet."

More wary, the ghost asked, "What more can you do to me?"

"You threatened that you would find a way to come back and possess someone," replied Harry. "I cannot, I _will_ not, allow that to happen."

The ghost frowned back at Harry. He lacked even the ethereal energy to be angry at the boy standing before him.

"There will be no '_Next Great Adventure_' for you, Tom," said Harry.

Realisation dawned in the expression of the ghost of Riddle. "_No!_" he begged. "_Please, no!_"

Ignoring the ghost's pleas, Harry stood up straighter, aimed his wand back at the centre of the ghost, and intoned, "I, Harry James Potter, call on magic old and new, to end from all existence, the entity known on this plane as Tom Marvolo Riddle. I judge his crimes so great, he not be allowed to exist for ever more. So mote it be; so mote it be; _so mote it be!_"

A beam of pure magic shot forth from the tip of Harry's wand and struck the centre of Riddle's chest. The force of the energy being directed at Riddle forced the ghost off Harry's left hand to hang suspended just out of his reach. The emerald focus stone glowed with an intense green light. With some relief, Harry dropped his left arm to his side while continuing to pump magic into the wand.

Riddle struggled in the beam, screaming. He continued to scream as the magic suffused his whole being. It built until it appeared he was surrounded by an aura. With a final scream from Riddle, the ghost literally and silently exploded into twinkling motes of silver. Then the motes faded out of existence.

Harry folded over at the waist. And rested the palms of his hands on his knees. He didn't even notice the wand floating in air where he had let go of it.

"So endeth the dark wizard Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort," he panted out loud.

After a few moments to catch his breath, Harry thought, 'Where's my wand?'

He looked up and was a little surprised to see the wand hovering in the air about his shoulder height. "Oh," he said, looking at it.

Neville came forward and rested his hand on Harry's shoulder. "I need to get you to Madam Pomfrey," he said.

Harry shook his head and said, "No, I've got Dumbledore and his soul anchor to deal with yet. I can't delay that."

"Then, _Harry James Potter_, you will take _at least_ one revitalising potion and one rejuvenation potion, _first_!" he growled back.

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry with what he hoped was a suitably chastised expression on his face.

Neville just glared back for a few moments. Harry even noticed the corner of his mouth twitch slightly in what he sincerely hoped was a sign he was trying not to smile at him.

Spinning around he called, "Dobby!"

*Pop* "Yes, Master Neville, Sir?" asked the elf.

"Harry's going to need to get his strength back before he continues," said Neville. "But, he _must_ continue, so we can't rush him off to the infirmary just yet!"

"Yes, Master Neville, Sir!" exclaimed the elf.

"Can you get for me one rejuvenation potion and one magical core rejuvenation potion from our personal supplies, please?" Neville asked.

"Yes, Master Neville, Sir!" the elf replied before popping away.

Neville passed his own wand over Harry's front and his right arm a couple of times before saying, "You're damned lucky you didn't blow your own core or something equally bad, when you did that."

It was then Harry felt a slight draft on the back of his right shoulder. Reaching up and across with his left hand, and turning his head to as far to the right as he could, he pulled his robes down on his right shoulder. He saw a ragged hole about as round as a tea cup rim torn out of all the layers of material.

Harry, still looking at the hole through his robes and school uniform underneath, wondered aloud, "How did that happen?"

"Harry," replied Neville. "When you were pulling the magic out of the ghost of Tom Riddle, it burst out the back of your shoulder like a spraying hose and sprayed the wall _and_ the Grangers," replied Neville. "I think it's crystallised pure magic."

"Huh!" said Harry looking back at the wall, "I truly hope they're going to be alright."

Not having heard the little house elf's return, Harry was surprised when Neville said, "Lord Slytherin!"

Turning back to face him, Harry asked, "Yes?"

His friend held out two potions and said, "Drink these."

Knowing it was pointless to argue, Harry took both uncapped potions, one in each hand, and downed them as quickly as he could. "Ack!" he exclaimed. "Yuck!"

Neville just snorted in response before saying, "As soon as you're finished here I'll want you in the infirmary. _Don't_ make me tell Madam Pomfrey to come looking for _you_, Lord Slytherin."

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry as contritely as he could.

Neville just snorted in amusement.

Harry then straightened up and said, "'Nev, I need to get this done. Can you return to your seat, please?"

Neville gave him one last manly shoulder clench before saying, "Be more careful this time!" And hurried back to the side of the room.

Standing up a little straighter, Harry then looked across his audience. Most were just staring back in mute shock or glancing back at him every now and then while softly talking between themselves. The journalists, in the area set aside for them, had their dicta-quills still running flat out. Not a few of them had quite a significant stack of parchments already filled and set aside.

Taking a deep breath and giving his left elbow and wrist a bit of a rub while the potions were taking effect, Harry looked up and said, "Hogwarts, reset the ward in front of the dais." Then, only thinking it this time, thought, "And, as soon as Fawkes shows up in here with me, instantly put in place an anti-phoenix ward. I need the bird unable to flash out again.'

Harry received a mental assurance it would be done. He also felt concern from the castle.

'Don't worry,' he thought. 'I'm not going to hurt the overgrown flaming chicken.'

He received the feeling of reluctant acceptance.

Again holding his wand forth in the centre of the dais, and with his left hand held in front of his left breast ready to snap forward in a grabbing motion, Harry intoned, "I, Harry James Potter, acting as Herald of Magic, call on magics new and old. I ask of magic to bring me the phoenix known as Fawkes. I need of magic to bring to me those portions of the soul of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore that do not inhabit his own, mortal, body. I seek to recombine the soul of the one known as Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore so that it may, again, be whole. So mote it be!"

With a sudden flash just in front of him, Fawkes appeared. Harry snapped his left hand forward and grabbed the magical bird by the neck.

Fawkes, with a startled squawk, attempted to flash away, multiple times. Each time, he burned Harry's hand with a quick sear of flesh. Harry held on. Over and over a half dozen times Fawkes attempted to flash away.

"_Fawkes!_" bellowed Harry at the bird. "Quit it, _right now_!"

Fawkes made a couple more attempts but then suddenly stopped. It glared back at Harry and squawked at him in indignation.

Harry's hand now had what felt like second degree burns but, as with when he destroyed Riddle's soul, he refused to relent. He just gritted his teeth for a few moments while trying to _will_ the pain away into a back corner of his mind.

"Sorry, Fawkes," said Harry between gritted teeth. "But, you know I need to do this."

Harry then raised his wand and passed it over the bird's body. He found what he was looking for in the bird's head.

Turning to point the tip of the wand directly between the bird's eyes, Harry gently placed the tip just above the bridge of the beak. Holding it for a moment, he pushed his magic through the wand and had his magic grasp the soul fragment within. Slowly, and as gently as he could, he ran the tip up between the bird's eyes and lifted the tip away. As he did so, he pulled the soul fragment away. Fawkes was squawking the whole time but didn't attempt to flash away again.

He was surprised to feel the bird helping him as much as it could. Both with holding still and with using its own mind to force the fragment out. Clearly, Fawkes now knew what was going on, he thought.

As he finally pulled the fragment free it coalesced into the form of Albus Dumbledore. Letting go of Fawkes's neck, Harry shot his left hand forward and up and grabbed the fragment through the chest, as he'd done with Riddle. Fawkes dropped free from his grip, and Harry felt the castle drop the anti-phoenix wards and reset them at the boundaries of the Great Hall.

Fawkes began to flash and popped all over the place around the ceiling trilling with a great deal of happiness and pleasure. He was quite loud and spectacular flashing all around. However, not many people watched him. Their eyes were affixed to the Harry on the dais.

Harry didn't have any spare attention to place on the now free phoenix's antics. He was focussed entirely on the dull grey ghost grasped in his left hand.

He moved it to the side in the same place as he held Riddle's spirit and gave it a little shake. All the while the fragment was cursing at him and in pain.

"How dare you manhandle me!" it bellowed at Harry. "I am the great Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, Holder of the Order of Merlin First Class, and Headmaster of Hogwarts!"

"Liar!" replied Harry calmly.

"What?" spluttered the grey ghost fragment.

"I said, 'Liar'," repeated Harry.

"I assure you..." it tried to splutter again.

"You don't," interrupted Harry.

"Pardon?" the ghost fragment asked.

"Your other half,..." said Harry, indicating where Dumbledore in the flesh was sitting, "... was _fired_ as Chief Warlock, was _fired_ as Supreme Mugwump, was _fired_ from even holding a seat on the ICW and was _fired_ as Headmaster of Hogwarts. I think you... that is, he... will very soon find yourself... himself... _stripped_ of the Order of Merlin, as well."

"I'm the _Leader_ of the _Light_!" it spluttered.

"No, you're _not_," replied Harry. "You may have been, at one time, when you had everyone _fooled_ as to what you really were. However, the fact I _pulled you_ from that poor bird you had _enslaved_ with the most vilest magics, magic that requires you to commit _cold-blooded murder_, proves beyond _any_ shadow of a doubt to our audience here..." Harry gestured to the room, "... that you are, in fact, inherently _evil_. Someone as evil as _you_ could not _possibly_ be considered the Leader of the Light."

"You lie!" it screeched.

Harry just shook his head at the shade before then looking over at 'mortal' Dumbledore. "How _could_ you, Albus?" asked Harry. "You had everything going for you, and you do this."

As mortal Dumbles was gagged, Harry knew he wasn't going to get an answer from him. And probably wouldn't even if he wasn't gagged.

Instead, Harry just looked back at the shade and said, "Now, half-ghost-Dumbles, I'm going to ask you a few questions. We can do this the easy way - meaning you'll just answer my questions truthfully and wholly, without trying to dodge answering - or we do this the hard way - meaning you're going to feel excruciating pain. Which is it to be, half-ghost-Dumbles?"

"I do not have to answer your questions," huffed the shade.

Harry suddenly squeezed his left hand into a fist.

"_Arrrggghhhhh!_" screamed the shade in agony, until Harry relaxed his hand slightly.

"Would you like to try that again, half-ghost-Dumbles?" asked Harry in a pleasant voice.

"H-How could you do this to me?" wailed the shade.

"I can do it because I currently hold dominion over you," replied Harry. "Now, did you fracture your soul to create this abomination by committing the _cold-blooded murder_ of Myrtle Malone?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" huffed the shade.

*Squeeze!*

"_Arrrggghhhhh!_" screamed the shade in agony again.

"Let's try this again, shall we?" asked Harry.

"H-H-How can you justify doing this to me?" wailed the shade.

"It's For the Greater Good! And because I need answers and you're going to give them to me," replied Harry. "Again! _Did_ you fracture your soul to create this abomination by _committing the cold-blooded murder_ of Myrtle Malone?"

"I refuse to..." began the shade.

*Squeeze!*

"_Arrrggghhhhh!_" screamed the shade in agony for a third time until Harry relaxed his hand a little. "_Please, stop!_" it begged.

"It will not happen each time you answer, truthfully," said Harry still using a calm voice. "It's For the Greater Good, after all."

"Please, don't torture the man!" one of the women in the audience begged.

"This is only a _soul fragment_ of Albus Dumbledore," replied Harry. "It is not even living tissue."

"Yet, you are still torturing it," she responded.

"Well, I'm only going to ask one more time. After all," said Harry in best impersonation of Dumbledore, "It's for the Greater Good.

"If it doesn't answer, then I'm going to banish it to Hell. The only way for the soul of Dumbledore to _then_ be reunited as one, whole, spirit is for the remaining part of him, that part still residing in his mortal body, to _join it in Hell_ after Dumbledore's physical body shuffles off this mortal coil."

Turning back to the shade and not bothering to hear a response, Harry asked again, "For the third and final time. _Did_ you fracture your soul to create this abomination by _committing the cold-blooded murder_ of Myrtle Malone?"

"_Yes!_" the shade sobbed.

"Did you enslave a phoenix in an attempt to show you were a light wizard?"

"_Yes!_"

Nodding and turning away from the soul fragment to face the entire audience, Harry sought out an auror. Finding one, he asked, "Auror, do you have enough information to now charge Albus Dumbledore with cold-blooded murder?"

Nodding back, the auror replied, "Yes, My Lord, I believe we do."

"Good," said Harry.

Turning back to the shade, he said, "Now to deal with you."

Not in a little fear, the shade begged back, "You said you wouldn't banish me to Hell."

"I'm not," said Harry.

He then pointed his wand at the still bound physical body of Dumbledore and levitated it. He caused it to come forth from where it was and brought it up onto the stage next to where he was holding the shade. Physical-Dumbledore struggled within his bindings all the way, even when Harry caused the chair to settle onto the floor of the dais.

Then Harry poked his wand back into the chest of the shade and withdrew his left hand.

After withdrawing his hand he pulled the shade forward a bit. Both physical and ethereal forms of Dumbledore realised what was about to happen. Both struggled mightily in their bindings.

Harry caused the ethereal form to practically sit in the lap of the physical form. Then he... _pushed_. The ethereal form sunk into the physical form and, calling on magic again, Harry caused the two forms to merge back into a whole.

In his physical bindings, the now whole and physical Dumbledore slumped forward.

"There you go, Dumbledore," said Harry. "You're now _mortal_, again."

Harry turned to look at the auror before hesitating and turning back again. "Oh," he said. "In case it escaped your attention, if you manage to _not_ be thrown through the veil or be kissed by a dementor, and only thrown into Azkaban for the rest of your natural life, the only title you now hold is 'Mister'. I doubt very much the public is going to recognise you as either the Leader of the Light, or allow you to keep the Order of Merlin. You _disgust_ me, you piece of desiccated dragon dung!"

"Errr... Lord Potter?" asked the auror.

Turning back to look at her he asked, "Yes, Auror; you can come forward and slap magically resistant cuffs on this waste of good air."

"Thank you, My Lord; but, that's not it," the auror said. She pointed to a space on the dais behind him.

Harry turned and, standing less than ten feet away, was the ghost of Myrtle Malone.

That surprised Harry. He thought Hogwarts and it's ghosts knew not to approach.

"Yes, Miss Malone?" asked Harry.

Myrtle gently curtseyed before standing back up. "Thank you, Lord Slytherin, for finally seeing the man who killed me, brought to justice."

"You're welcome, Miss Malone," replied Harry. "Are you ready to... move on... now?"

"Yes, My Lord," she replied with a soft smile.

"Do you need my help with that?" asked Harry quite gently.

"No, thank you, My Lord," she replied. "I just wanted to give you my thanks in person... so to speak... before I... left."

"Then, again, you're welcome, Miss Malone," replied Harry. And Myrtle simply began to ascend with a smile while blurring and fading out.

Giving his head a quick shake he turned back around to face the auror.

She was looking up into the ceiling where Myrtle had ascended.

"Auror?" asked Harry snapping his fingers, trying to recapture her attention.

Looking back down at Harry she said, "Oh! Yes! Magical restraints." She snapped her own fingers and one of the other aurors came forward.

Hogwarts removed the iron straps that were holding Dumbledore's lower arms to the chair, allowing the auror to manacle the old fool. Once attached, Hogwarts removed the rest of the restraints.

The two aurors dragged the old man to his feet and shuffled him off the dais back up the aisle towards the main doors. They were not being particularly gentle.

Harry looked up to see Fawkes had calmed down and was circling inside the ceiling. Harry instructed the castle to remove the anti-phoenix ward completely.

Fawkes obviously felt it. He banked tight and suddenly flew out through the main doors in a gentle glide.

Addressing the audience, once more, Harry said, "I think that's enough for one day. Quite frankly, I'm exhausted! I ask the aurors to escort you out of the building and back out the gates. I need to attend my colleague and her parents. If you desire, we will reconvene here in two or three days. Hopefully, we'll be able to answer your questions then."

Turning to the journalists, he said, "I apologise we will not be able to answer your questions, either. Please, come back in two to three days. We'll send out another media release with the details as soon as we can."

And, with that, Harry strode from the room with Neville hot on his heels. Neville had re-summoned the Sword of Gryffindor and held it in his hand. Nobody dared bother them.

# # #


	26. The Grangers' Magic

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six - The Grangers' Magic

Walking in to the infirmary, Harry saw Hermione was awake and was sitting between the beds of her parents. Fawkes was sitting on her shoulder with a somewhat dazed expression on her face. Fawkes was, for want of a better term, preening her.

The other two heirs, were looking between what Fawkes was doing, and Harry. Hermione was staring off into space with a light smile on her face. The two Granger adults were still unconscious. Poppy and the auror's healer were working upon the two of them.

"Lady Ravenclaw?" called Harry. "Lady Ravenclaw? Hermione!"

"Huh?" exclaimed the girl as her focus finally alighted on Harry. Even Fawkes looked back. Harry had the sense the bird was feeling ineffably pleased.

"Hermione," he asked, "why is Fawkes... pretty much... grooming you?"

"Oh!" replied Hermione. "His name's not Fawkes; it's Polaris. He told me so. He also told me he's mine. But not like he's property, or anything."

Harry, already suspecting, only raised his eyebrows in surprise. Madam Pomfrey, Neville, Susan, Madam Bones, Sirius - who had turned up - and Remus gasped with shock. Barely anyone wasn't staring back at Hermione.

Harry grinned at his friend and said, "He's bonded with you, Hermione."

"Oh!" she said still distracted.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Harry called out with a grin. "Presenting, Hermione Jean Granger, Lady Ravenclaw, the _true_ Leader of the Light!"

Fawkes... or, rather, Polaris... assumed a posture of _eagle displayed_ with one wing behind Hermione's head while still holding on to her shoulder with his claws. And trilled away quite happily. Hermione just sat there stunned.

Harry was surprised no one even clapped.

When he looked about the room a bit, he saw Severus lying in a bed off to one side.

Frowning, Harry turned to Poppy and asked, "Madam Pomfrey, what happened to Professor Snape?"

He was in class and one of the students said he suddenly grabbed his right forearm. Then he grimaced before collapsing to the floor unconscious. I had a house elf bring him directly here. His magical core's been drained and he's suffering from magical exhaustion. However, he's going to recover.

While wondering what had happened to the man, an auror entered the room and approached Amelia. He whispered a few things to her and her face took on an expression of consternation.

As the auror headed back out, Amelia approached the rest and said, "You'll need to excuse me. It appears all the marked Death Eaters we had captured in the Hall have all died. We've also received a report from Azkaban infirming us the ones in there are also dead."

Harry frowned but nodded his head. He was still thinking hard as Amelia went over to Susan, gave her a kiss on her forehead, and headed out.

Thinking a bit, Harry had a feeling he knew what had happened.

"Harry?" called Neville.

Harry looked up at his friend.

"What's got you obviously thinking so hard?" Neville asked.

"I think I should know what's going on," replied Harry, still thinking furiously. "Professor Snape clearly grasped his dark mark before he passed out, marked Death Eaters are turning up dead, Riddle..."

With sudden realisation, Harry stared back at Neville in shock.

"Harry?" asked his friend.

"Riddle..." said Harry. "I think I know what happened."

"Well, don't leave the rest of us guessing," said Susan a bit tartly. "_What_ do you think happened?"

"When I was pulling the magic out of ghost-Riddle," replied Harry, "I was wondering how there happened to be so much of it. It seemed, for a while there, it was never-ending. I thought Riddle had used dark rituals to greatly enlarge his magical core."

Frowning back, Susan asked, "But, that's not what you now... suspect... is it?"

Shaking his head in wonder, Harry replied, "The dark mark. When I was pulling the magic out of Riddle to strip him of it, I think Riddle was pulling the magic out of his marked followers - through the dark mark - to replace what I took."

Neville, in surprise, said, "And, you think he didn't stop until he drained them dry."

"Yes," replied Harry in shock himself. "As I said to ghost-Riddle, if he had been alive when I did that, it would have killed him. I think that's what killed all the Death Eaters."

"Good, God, Harry!" exclaimed Neville. "You know there's about fifty of them, don't you?"

"Was, Nev," said Susan.

"But, why is Snape still alive?" asked Neville.

Susan frowned, spun on her heel and walked over to Severus's bed. She reached out, picked up his arm and drew the sleeve back. She held it up to show the others and said, "No more dark mark."

Still stunned, Harry gasped and said, "I killed about fifty people! I'm a mass-murderer!" He collapsed to the floor. Not passed out, but no longer able to stand. He just sat in the middle of the floor.

Neville and Sirius both hurried over. Sirius gently said to Harry, "Pup? Come on, mate. You didn't kill them; Riddle did."

"I drained them dry, Sirius!" said Harry.

"No," replied Neville, "_Riddle_ did. You were only pulling the magic out of _Riddle_."

Neville and Sirius helped Harry back to his feet. He was in quite a bit of shock and felt nauseous.

"Come on, Harry," said Sirius, soothingly. "Let's get you back to your common room."

"I need all of you to leave," snapped the auror's healer. "Both of these two have significantly drained magical cores and it's taking us a fair bit of effort to stabilise them."

Hermione's head snapped to look directly at the healer. "Huh?" she asked, "What do you mean 'their magical cores'. My parents are non-magicals!"

The healer looked back at her and scoffed, "Don't play games with me, little missy! I've been a healer for twenty years. I _know_ what a magical core looks like, and these two are quite drained and fluctuating. Now get out while I do my job!"

Hermione stood in a daze and headed over to Harry where he was being supported by Sirius and Neville. Susan came back with Remus, who had also gone over to see Severus's dark mark was gone.

Fawkes... Polaris... hopped off Hermione's shoulder and flew back to perch on the back of the chair Hermione was sitting upon. He was trilling gently to both of the Grangers.

As one completely stunned group, the four heirs, Sirius and Remus walked out of the infirmary and headed back to owners' common room.

# # #

In the suite, Remus called a house elf to serve them a late morning tea. He also asked the elf to lace it with a mild calming draught. The elf was back a few moments later with two serving sets and a half dozen cups. As a group they were sitting on the couches around the coffee table.

"I'm a mass-murderer, Sirius," moaned Harry.

Sirius, while watching Remus make a cup of tea and adding extra calming potion to it, said, "No, Pup. Riddle's the mass-murderer. You just made it so Riddle can't come back."

Remus offered the cup and saucer to Harry who took it without a thought. He started to sip from it.

Harry suddenly looked up and, with determination, said to Susan, "Susan. You'll need to call your aunt! Tell her to send two aurors around to arrest me! I'll go quietly." Then he reached into his pocket and drew both of his wands. He put them on the coffee table in front of himself for a moment before picking them back up again.

He offered them to Sirius, who was sitting next to him, and said, "Sirius; you're an auror. I hereby surrender myself to your custody. I'll go quietly."

Sirius gravely reached out, took the two wands, and placed them on the coffee table. "Pup?" he said. "I'm a Professor, not an auror. I haven't been an auror for ten years. I've been in Azkaban, remember?"

Thinking furiously again, Harry brightened and said, "Yes. But you were never dismissed from your job; and you didn't quit. So, you're still an auror and the DMLE owes you back pay."

Reeling back a little in surprise, Sirius said, "You know, you might be right about that, Pup. But, I still don't feel right about arresting you. It would be a... conflict of interest. You _are_ my godson, after all."

Frowning back down at his cup and taking a mouthful of tea again, Harry then looked up at Susan and said, "How's that call to your aunt coming along, Susan? She's going to need to send a couple of aurors, after all."

Susan glanced at Sirius for a moment before saying, "Sorry, Harry; but, Aunt 'Melia's a little busy, at the moment. If you promise not to go anywhere, she'll send someone along when she can."

"Yeah, I can do that," replied Harry frowning back down at his cup again. "I'll stay here, then. House arrest."

"That sounds like a good idea, Cub," said Remus gently. "How about some more of that delicious tea."

"Yeah. I can do that," said Harry, offering his cup for a refill. He didn't even notice Remus dropping almost the entire contents of a sedative into it before topping it back up. He just continued to sip it when he brought it back. He couldn't even taste the tea, let alone the sedative.

With a dawning realisation, Harry fixed his eyes of Hermione's with a look of horror, "'Mione! I... I hurt your parents! I... could have killed them! They're in the infirmary because of me!" Then he broke into tears and wailed, "I'm _soooo_ sorry! You must _hate_ me now!"

Hermione put down her own cup, walked around the coffee table, took Harry's cup out of his hand and offered it to Sirius, before sitting in Harry's lap and cuddling him. "It's alright, Harry," she said. "They're going to be fine."

Harry just hugged her tightly and wailed into her chest. "I'm a killer and I nearly killed your parents!"

Hermione just sat in his lap and rocked them both back and forth. Before long, Harry stopped crying and fell asleep as the potion he'd been doped with took effect.

Gently, so as not to wake him, she climbed off. Sirius carried him into his room and put him to bed.

Hermione returned to sitting next to Susan and cried for both her parents and the pain of her first, ever, friend.

Polaris flashed into the room and landed on the back of the couch behind Hermione. The phoenix softly crooned to his new companion.

# # #

Harry didn't awaken until early the next morning. He felt much better.

Rising, he took a shower and changed into fresh robes. Then he headed for the infirmary. He needed to know the Grangers were going to be alright.

Walking in, he saw Madam Pomfrey hovering over Professor Snape while the healer from the aurors was joined by two other healers and was hovering over the Grangers from between their beds.

Softly, so as not to disturb anyone, Harry softly asked, "Madam Pomfrey?"

The medi-witch looked up and saw Harry quietly standing there. "Yes, Lord Slytherin?" she asked.

"Are they going to be okay?" asked Harry softly.

"Yes, Lord Slytherin," she replied with a smile. Professor Snape is well on his way towards a full recovery and will be waking soon. Lady Ravenclaw's parents have been kept, for now, in an induced sleep while their cores stabilised. They're about to be woken up."

Frowning, Harry shook his head a little and said, "Hermione's parents are mundanes. They're dentists." Thinking a bit more, he said, "Well, Hermione's mum, Emma Granger, is still a dentist. But, Her Majesty reactivated her dad's, Major Granger's, commission. He's now serving in the Diplomatic Protective Detail."

One of the healers hovering over Hermione's parents had looked up when Harry started talking about 'the Grangers'. He walked over to Harry.

"Excuse me, Lord Slytherin?" he asked. "You're the one that caused the wave of pure magic to strike these folks, yes?"

Harry was about to burst into tears again when he forced it down, straightened himself up, and said, "Yes, Sir. I'm the one that nearly killed them."

The healer merely cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Would you mind lifting up your wand arm, please, My Lord?"

Harry dutifully raised his right arm. The healer then passed a healer's diagnostic wand all over it, including at the back of Harry's shoulder.

"Amazing," he said, before looking directly at Harry and saying. "Do you realise you practically burned out the magical channels throughout the length of your arm. But, that they are now completely healed?"

Harry replied, "I remember it hurt a bit."

Hesitating a moment, the healer said, "I can imagine. You have fresh skin where the skin on your hand received second to third degree magical burns, the deep tissue damage that, apparently, has repaired itself deep within and along your arm, and the third degree magical burn about three inches across at the back of your right shoulder. This, also, appears to have healed itself. Fresh skin and deep tissue now covers that area, too."

"That happened when I was drawing the magic out of Tom Riddle's... Voldemort's... soul," said a sorrowful Harry. "It's what then hit the Grangers. But, I didn't know at the time that, while I was also drawing the magic out of Riddle, he was drawing it out of his marked Death Eaters. I've been told there were about fifty of them.

"Except for Severus, here," said Harry pointing at the Professor, "all the others are dead. I killed them."

"No, you didn't," said Amelia's voice from behind him. Harry hadn't even heard her coming in. The sound of her voice, though, caused Harry to spin about in shock. She was standing with Headmistress McGonagall and facing him about ten feet away.

Waving the shock off, Harry stood up and held himself up as a Lord should, and said to her, "Madam Bones. I regret to inform you that I am a mass-murderer. Through my actions, I killed approximately fifty people. I also caused grievous bodily harm to Major Daniel and Doctor Emma Granger, and Professor Severus Snape. I stand ready to be arrested and face justice."

While he was looking straight into the confused eyes of the Head of the DMLE, a male voice called out, "Well, that was a bit melodramatic, don't you think?"

Recognising the voice, Harry spun back to face the Grangers. Both were now propped up in their beds. Dan was looking at him with a slight, but painful, smile on his face.

"_Dad!_" yelled Harry before he was beside the man's bedside in an instant. Then he hugged Dan tightly around the chest. "I'm sorry!" he wailed, "I'm _soooo sooo_ sorry!"

After a few moments to wrap his own arms around Harry, Dan said, "I'm not."

Harry flinched back from Dan a bit and, looking the man in the eyes, said, "Huh?"

Dan, with a gentle smile on his face, said, "Two things, lad. First, there is no way you could have known what was going to happen. It was a complete accident, and neither of us hold you in any blame. Second, it appears you've given Emma and I an amazing gift as a result of that accident."

"Huh?" said Harry, again, still stunned.

Turning to look at his wife, Dan said, "Honey, I think I broke him."

"Huh?" said Harry, again.

Emma just grinned back at them both.

"Harry," said Emma softly.

"Huh?" said Harry snapping his eyes to Emma, before giving himself a bit of a shake and saying, "Mum?"

With her eyes shining brightly, Emma softly said, "Harry, you've made Dan and me 'Magicals'."

Harry blinked at her in confusion. "But,... but,... no. That can't happen. No. It's impossible," he stammered.

"Lord Slytherin," called another male voice from near the foot of the beds.

"Huh?" said Harry, snapping his head and locking eyes with another of the healers.

"No matter how much we believe it to be impossible; nevertheless, you, Sir, have managed to _do_ the impossible," the healer said.

"But... _how?_" asked Harry.

"We do not yet have an answer to that question, Lord Slytherin," replied the healer. "We have seen a few pensieve memories of the event from those who witnessed it, and have analysed what we could of it. However, be assured we will be trying to figure out just _how_ it was done. We have a few educated guesses, but it's going to take time to analyse everything."

Thinking for a few moments, Harry then stood back up straight and glared at the medico. "You will _not_ be using the Grangers as _guinea pigs_!" said Harry flatly.

The healer looked back at Harry in confusion. "Guinea pigs, Lord Slytherin?" he asked. "What does a small rodent of the _caviidae_ family have to do with anything?"

Dan snorted and said to the healer, "It's a mundane expression; those you call 'muggles'. It means to use someone as a _test animal_ and run experiments on them."

The healer nearly reeled back in shock. "I _assure_ you, Lord Slytherin, we will do nothing of the sort!" he exclaimed. "We will _only_ ask that we monitor their health over the next few days, and they come and see us every couple of weeks for a while, so we can again monitor how they're doing!"

"Okay," said Harry, still glaring at the healer. "Because, if you _tried_ anything like that, I'd place them _both_ under the protection of both the House of Slytherin _and_ the House of Potter. Not to mention, 'Mione would... _'Mione!_"

Harry suddenly bolted from the infirmary. A couple of seconds later, he bolted back in, skidded to a halt in front of Amelia and said, "Sorry! You can arrest me in a little bit!" before bolting back out of the infirmary yelling back, "_Gotta get 'Mione!_"

"Chock _full_ of nervous energy, this morning, isn't he?" said a worried, but amused, Dan.

Concerned, Emma looked at Amelia and asked, "Just _how much_ trouble _is_ Harry in, anyway?"

Amused, but turning to look at Emma, she said, "None. Her Majesty wants to see him... all of us, actually... in a couple of days. But, as for all the Death Eaters dying, there is no criminal charges pending against him."

Frowning, Emma asked, "But, _why_ does Harry believe you're arresting him?"

"Because no one's has been able to get it through that _thick_ head of his yet that he's done nothing wrong," replied Amelia. "He firmly believes, for the moment anyway, that he's committed mass-murder; as well as the assault causing grievous harm to the parents of his best friend."

"He needs to be sat down and made to talk to a shrink," said Dan with feeling. "The lad's suffering from a severe case of post traumatic stress disorder."

"A... shrink?" asked Amelia.

"A psychologist," replied Emma. "Someone skilled in dealing with people who have suffered a traumatic mental event leading to emotional problems and worse."

One of the healers asked, "Errr... do you mean a mind healer?"

Emma shrugged and said, "If that's what you call someone capable of helping another who has a mental problem, yes. The taking of a life by someone with a high moral and ethical viewpoint as Harry will be traumatic to the person who does it. Harry believes he's killed, in one fell swoop, about fifty people. That

would cause a major shock in even the most hardened warrior."

Harry came bolting back into the room and exclaimed to the Grangers, "'Mione's coming! She screamed at me, though, when I woke her up. I think she hurt my ears. _Wow_, she's _loud_!"

"_Stupefy!_"

Harry dropped to the ground as if he was pole-axed. One of the healers, with his wand drawn, walked over and, using the Mobilicorpus Charm, levitated Harry up and put him on the bed on the other side of Emma.

Then she uncorked a potion and, using a minor cantrip to make him swallow, poured the potion down Harry's throat.

Looking up and seeing the Grangers looks of surprise, she said, "A stunning spell, followed by a potion to keep him asleep and thinking pleasant thoughts. We'll call for a mind healer for him, shortly."

Amelia said, "Make sure the mind healer you bring in is aware Harry is, pretty much, a Master Occlumens with formidable mental defences. Delving into his mind without permission may get him, or her, hurt."

The healer looked back in surprise. "At his age?" she asked.

Amelia simply nodded. "He _is_ Lord Slytherin, after all."

Hermione entered just in time to see Harry secured into bed in pyjamas.

"Mum! Dad!" she exclaimed, slightly out of breath with her clothes slightly askew. "Harry said you were awake! At least, that's what I think he said."

"And, as you can see, Pumpkin, we are," said Dan as his daughter speed-walked across to hug him.

"I was so worried," she said with tears in her eyes. And walked around her father's bed to give her Mum a hug, as well.

"What's wrong with Harry?" she asked.

"Stress, honey," said her Mum. "The doctors are going to deal with that soon."

"I was asleep," said Hermione. "Next thing I know, someone's jumped on top of me and was shaking me by my shoulders, yelling at me that you were awake. I think I screamed at him before he ran back out the door. He scared the _life_ out of me!"

Smiling, Dan said, "We got that - well, most of it, really - from Harry, a few seconds ago."

Interrupting, one of the healers said, "Well, it looks like your magical cores have stabilised at about one-fifty on the Merlin scale. But, we're not going to know for sure until they've finished recharging back to peak level. Whatever that happens to be"

Frowning, Hermione said, "But, Healer, my parents aren't magicals. They don't have magical cores."

Sighing, the healer replied, "And yet another child trying to tell me my job. I assure you, Miss, both of your parents have magical cores. I can only fathom that both of your parents probably had existing magical cores, but that both have been boosted when Lord Slytherin hit them with a continuous stream of highly charged pure magic. Their levels now register them as a true witch and wizard."

"But," stuttered Hermione, "we had them tested! There was nothing there!"

"Tested, Miss?" asked one of the healers, frowning.

"Lady Hermione Jean Granger. Lady Ravenclaw," replied Hermione, off-handedly. "We had them both tested at St Mungo's less than a month ago. I was trying to work out how I came to be Lady Ravenclaw when both of my parents were supposed to be mundanes. Neither registered as having a magical core."

Now very interested, one of the healers asked, "And they were tested at St Mungo's? Who ran the tests?"

Hermione distractedly shook her head. "I don't remember. But, it was a Thursday afternoon. About three to four weeks ago."

The healer jotted it down and said, "Thank you. We'll check their files. If what you say is true, then we've found the first ever case of a muggle turning into a magical."

"Mundane!" snapped Hermione. "Her Majesty doesn't like the term 'muggle'. It's offensive."

Not knowing what else to say, the healer replied, "Errr... my apologies. Mundane it is, then,... My Lady."

"Miss Granger... Lady Ravenclaw," scolded Headmistress McGonagall. "Please show the healers some modicum of respect. After all, it's apparent this is the first time they've ever seen anything like this. Clearly, they're as shocked as everyone else."

Suitably abashed, Hermione said to the healers, "Sorry. I was just worried about my parents."

"Understandable," said the healer. "However, it now gives us the opportunity to find their baseline in their files at St Mungo's. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go to the hospital and collect those files."

With that, he turned on his heel and made his way to the main fireplace before floo-ing away.

Turning to the Grangers, another healer asked, "I take it we'll be able to find you two here if we need to talk to you again?"

Looking at their daughter, who nodded, Dan replied, "We have other business we also need to attend - our own dental practice - but it looks like we'll be spending time here as well."

"Well, we need to make sure your... new... magical cores are stabilised..." he said before giving a shrug. "We're on new ground here. We have no idea what's going to happen. All we can suggest is you don't go anywhere without an emergency portkey to St Mungo'sor here, and a witch or wizard capable of side-along apparating. Frankly, we're completely stumped."

Dan just snorted and said, "Don't feel so bad about it, though. Even Her Majesty is... astonished... by what young Harry over there does."

"Once we're finally able to figure out what happened... and I don't intend to stop until I do... this'll make the lead story in 'Magical Medicine'," said the healer. "We're _all_ going to be famous."

Emma snorted and said, "Knowing someone as famous young Harry over there..." she gestured towards Harry... "I'd really rather _not_ have my name bandied about in a medical magazine or journal."

Confused, the healer said, "Yes, Lord Slytherin. I understand he'd be famous being the heir of one of the four founders but... I don't understand."

Hermione said, "Harry is Lord Harry James Potter, Earl of Slytherin; Peer of the Realm; Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin; Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter; apparently, Head of the Most Ancient House of Gaunt; Scion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black; the Boy-Who-Lived; and, now, the Boy-Who-Destroyed-Voldemort. He utterly _hates_ his fame, and wishes people would just like to get to know the boy named Harry, and _be_ just Harry."

"Sweet Merlin!" the healer exclaimed.

"Indeed," said Amelia. "So, it would be appreciated by him if you bowed to his wishes, got over the whole Boy-Who-Lived attitude, and just called him 'Harry'."

"I... think I can do that," said the healer. The other one simply nodded.

# # #

An hour later, the Grangers were allowed out of bed and were escorted to the owners' suites by Hermione just before lunchtime. They left Harry in the infirmary asleep with Professor Snape. However, when the Potions Master awoke, and very quickly saw Harry lying in a bed of his own, demanded to be released immediately.

With imprecations from Poppy and the other healers about using any magic until his core built up again, Severus snarled he was more likely to hex 'the Potter boy' if forced to remain in the infirmary rather than be released. Besides, he reminded her, the heirs had said adults could not be forced to remain in the infirmary if they chose to leave.

Knowing the Potions Master's... discomfort... around Harry, Poppy allowed him to leave. However, she insisted he return if he felt even the slightest discomfort.

Rising from the bed, he frowned and looked down at his arm where the dark mark was. Drawing up the sleeve he found nothing more than unblemished skin. He hadn't realised, until then, he was finally free of the Mark. It left him sitting on the edge of the bed, speechless.

It wasn't until Poppy looked over towards him for a moment, and noticed him still sitting on the edge of the bed looking at his bare arm, that she ordered him out. She didn't know he'd once had the mark and had proceeded to chivvy the man out of the infirmary.

Severus knew Harry was probably the one responsible for it disappearing and was decidedly unhappy he had yet another debt he owed the boy.

He stomped out of the infirmary and returned to his private quarters off his potions lab.

# # #

In the owners' common room, over a private late breakfast early lunch, brunch, Sirius was telling the Grangers with enthusiasm how much fun it was to be a wizard or witch.

Offering Dan his own wand, Sirius suggested, "See if you can feel anything from it."

Frowning, Dan said, "There's a tingle. Almost, but not quite, like a thrum."

"That's good," said Sirius with some surprise. "Now, hold it aloft a little with the tip pointing straight up. Feel if you can push a little of your magic into it, and say 'Lumos'."

As instructed, Dan held the wand with the tip pointing up, tried to feel his magic being pushed into it, and said, "Lumos!"

The wand tip glowed quite brightly.

Sirius, quite pleased, then instructed, "Now, allow your magic to relax, and say 'Nox'."

"Nox!" said Dan in wonder. The tip extinguished.

Hermione was looking at her father quite pleased. "Well done, Daddy!" she squealed.

Offering the wand to Emma, Dan said, "Here, honey. You try."

Emma, remembering what Sirius had told her husband, frowned when it was in her hand. "I don't feel much of anything at all," she said. "Definitely no thrumming or something like that."

Nodding, Sirius said, "Try the Lumos Charm, anyway, Mrs Granger. Wand tip pointing straight up. Try to push with your magic. And say, "Lumos'."

Emma did as instructed but only saw the tip glow just a little.

Emma sighed and passed the wand back to her husband, who passed it back to Sirius.

Thinking, Sirius looked about the room. With the flash of an idea, he turned to Hermione and said, "Perhaps we may see an improvement if she tries your wand, Miss Granger." Sirius was in full Professor mode.

Hermione drew her wand out of her sleeve and offered it, handle first, to her mother.

Taking it in her hand, Emma's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Oh! Now I know what you meant by a thrum."

Sirius instructed, "Try the Lumos Charm again, please, Mrs Granger."

This time, the wand tip lit up even brighter than Dan's attempt. Emma almost forgot the cancelling Charm, 'Nox'.

Remus said, "Well, if there was ever a test to see if you were Magicals, that was it. You're definitely a wizard and a witch."

Hermione came over and gave both of her parents a hug. "Oh, wow! This is so great!" she said.

"We'll need to take you both to Ollivander's to get your own wands," said Sirius. "I'd be honoured if you'd allow me to escort you both, when you're of a mind to go."

"Actually," said Dan, "Emma's going to need to get in to the surgery before we do anything else, to let them know she's safe. She was supposed to be at work, this morning."

Sitting forward, Emma exclaimed, "Oh, bugger!"

"Mum!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Sorry, dear," said Emma distractedly. "Someone's going to need to take Dan and I home, first. I need to get changed."

"I can do that," said Hermione, thinking. "Professors Black and Lupin have classes until this afternoon. And, besides, I'm the only one to have experience of the mundane world and can dress and act, appropriately. I also know where the dental surgery is and can side-along apparate Mum to the laneway just around the corner, to speed things up a bit."

"You do realise," said Remus to the Grangers. "Now that you're a witch and wizard, you can fully integrate yourself into our society. You really no longer need your dental business."

Shaking his head, Dan said, "I don't want to give up the practice. We've worked too hard to walk away from it."

"Well," said Remus. "You're going to need to develop at least _some_ skill in using magic. If you don't, you're going to have periods of accidental magic, and that places you at risk of breaking the Statute of Secrecy, to which you're now bound."

Taking the conversation from there, Sirius said, "For at least a couple of months, you're going to need some intensive training in using your magic. I know it's short notice, but can you find a replacement for the both of you for that period of time?"

Thinking hard, Hermione asked, "What about after hours schooling?"

Frowning, Sirius asked her, "What do you mean?"

"Well," replied Hermione. "In the mundane world, when someone wants to better themselves, or learn a new skill, they often take classes after work. Some call it Night School."

"That means," said Dan, "We maintain our existing, mundane, lives as dentists during the day. Then, in the evenings, we study magic." Laughing, he said, "It would be like having a secret identity like a comic book hero!"

"And you call this '_Night School_'?" asked Remus.

"Uh-hmm," nodded Emma.

Neville leaned forward and asked, "May I offer some suggestions?"

"Sure!" replied Dan, first in.

"Okay," said Neville holding up his hand and beginning to tick things off on his fingers. "Now that the entire Granger family are Magicals, they can now get the Granger home connected to the floo. That means they can have instant access through to here once it's connected," he gestured at the fireplace. "We have plenty of teaching staff, and will soon have more. So, I think at least one or two of them would leap at the chance of teaching magic, in the evenings, to the world's first people who were... converted... from mundanes to magicals. This will also be the perfect place to do it, as those healers you two have made all excited will have access to the infirmary, _and_ direct access to St Mungo's."

Leaning forward herself, from where she'd returned to her seat, Hermione said, "It also means you can spend the evenings here and have dinner with us. As it's our castle, no one can whinge about how you're getting a 'free feed'."

"And," said Susan, putting her own views in, "We're not going to be able to keep what happened secret for very long. We can't even tell people you were magicals all along because, when the truth does come out - and we know it will - they're going to know we lied. And we need people to trust us.

"Those healers are also going to want to write papers on what happened to you two. When they get published, Master Healers from _around the world_ are going to want to come and see you. Here, in the castle, we can protect you from much of it."

Sirius sighed and said, "Harry _despises_ being known as the Boy-Who-Lived. That's going to be _nothing_ compared to being the Mundanes-Who-Became-Magicals."

Susan said, "And we still don't know... no one knows... if this is going to be permanent, or not. If we can convince one of the Master Healers who has already seen you to come and visit each night and on weekends for at least a little while, just to check on you, we'll be prepared and have you close by _if_ something starts to go wrong."

"And, it shouldn't interfere with you and your dental surgery," said Hermione. "Though, you may need to cut back on the number of patients you see in the afternoons."

Dan sighed and said, "As a medical professional, I can see the wisdom in what you're saying. But, as a business owner and operator, I can see this is going to cause a sizable... dent... in our financial state of affairs. Plus, we also have social lives and a network of friends... mundane friends... who are going to start asking questions about why our routine has suddenly drastically altered. I'm already getting a lot of grief from them about how I took a sudden two month vacation from our practice and didn't go anywhere."

Hermione said, "That's why magicals and mundanes don't normally mix. And, it's why magical-born tend to despise mundane-borns. They think mundane-borns are far more likely than they to break the Statute of Secrecy. The problem is that they're right.

"For example, a mundane-born witch or wizard is in the mundane world walking down a street. They see a small child run out into the road and just about to be hit by a car. Out of instinct, the mundane-born witch or wizard summons the child to them. How do they then explain that to the witnesses?

"That's where the Ministry's Obliviation Squad comes in. They have no choice but to obliviate all the mundanes of the event, and serve the mundane-born witch or wizard with a notice of the breach of the Statute. Any further incidences will likely see the mundane-born serve time in prison."

"So, _that's_ why most mundane-borns, when they can't secure employment in Magical Britain, head overseas!" mused Susan. "I couldn't understand or figure out why so many did that."

Neville, who had been thinking, was frowning at the rings Harry had made and Emma and Dan were still wearing. "Mr and Mrs Granger?" he asked.

"Hmmm?" asked Dan.

"Were you wearing those rings your whole time in the infirmary?" asked Neville.

Dan looked down at his ring and twisted it with his off hand. "I guess so, why?"

"I think it's what may have been... confusing the healer's scans," mused Neville. "Take them off, please."

Dan, followed by Emma, removed the rings and placed them on the coffee table, frowning in confusion.

"Do you still see the castle?" asked Neville.

"Of course," replied Dan.

Neville shook his head and said, "There is no, 'of course' here, Sir. Before the... accident, those rings were the _only_ thing allowing you to see the castle. That you can still see it, even from inside it, means your magical cores are definitely still in place. Magic would not have allowed you to see it if you weren't magicals. From what I understand, you would now think you were sitting on something inside the ruins of an old castle."

Remus sat back forward and said, "I think we need to get you two back to the infirmary and have a healer rescan your cores. Neville is probably right in that the rings may have been affecting the scans they've done on you."

"That sounds like a wise course of action, to me," said Susan.

"Right, then," said Dan standing up. "We should do that now."

The entire group then made their way out of the owner's common room and back to the infirmary.

# # #

Back in the infirmary, Harry was at the back of the room with an elderly looking witch. Both were sitting in large-sized matching armchairs with a small occasional table between them and sipping on tea. The elderly witch had a dicta-quill running close by.

The elderly witch was the mind healer the healer who had left, and since returned, had sent back to talk to Harry. He was going over how he felt and why he needed to be arrested. She was not telling him anything; rather, she was simply asking questions. Harry felt some of them were inconsequential, but he couldn't help but answer her questions. He found her to be quite the nice lady.

What Harry didn't know was that she had laced his tea with a very mild form of Veritaserum and a mild Compulsion potion and Calming Draught.

When the Granger-party walked back in they headed to talk to the three healers. The one who had left had returned and brought another pair of medical files with him. Both Minerva and Amelia had already left.

"Ah!" asked the first healer, "Has something happened?"

Dan shook his head and replied, "No. However, young Neville, here, pointed out how we were wearing... enchanted... rings that allowed us to see that which is normally hidden to mundanes by magic. He thinks it may have been interfering with your scans."

With a slight frown, the healer asked, "Do you have the rings with you?"

Dan pulled them out of his coat pocket and handed them over. The healer passed his wand over them and frowned. "It's possible," he mused. "Would you mind lying back down on the beds again? I think we should do another scan."

As the Grangers were climbing back onto the beds again, the healer explained to his colleagues what he'd been told. The three of them rescanned both Grangers and moved slightly away to discuss their findings.

On their return, the first healer said, "Well, it seems the rings _have_ confused our readings. As of right now, your much more stable cores are showing a Merlin scale reading of a little over 200 points. And, they're still slowly, but steadily, rising."

"Do you know when it's going to stop?" asked Dan.

"No," replied another healer. "So, we'd like you to come back this evening and we'll perform another scan. And we'll keep doing them until it steadies at whatever level it reaches. As we said earlier, this is all new to us."

The third healer said, "We've also had a chance to peruse your files from when you attended St Mungo's. And we apologise for disbelieving you, Lady Ravenclaw, when you said they didn't have a magical core. The files show they clearly didn't."

Hermione bobbed her head in acceptance.

The second healer said, "At some time, we'd _really_ like you to come to St Mungo'sso we can put you through our MMRI machine so we can perform a full body scan on each of you. As you were both mug... errr... mundanes until this happened, we'd like to see how the magical pathways have established throughout your bodies."

Dan looked at Emma before turning back and saying, "We can do that. However, it would probably be somewhat pointless until our.. cores... settle down, anyway. Right?"

"Correct, Sir," said the healer.

"In that case," said Dan sitting up and swinging his legs around to sit on the edge of the bed, "as long as there isn't any imminent likelihood of us dying or anything, we'll come back after dinner this evening. If that's okay?"

"Yes, Sir," replied the healer.

Dan nodded and said, "We need to get home and visit our own practice to let them know we've not simply disappeared off the face of the Earth. And to cancel our appointments for the next few days."

"Plus," said Emma, also now sitting on the edge of the bed, "I've been told we should go and get ourselves a wand each."

Surprised, the healer replied, "That's probably a good idea. But, please, make sure someone accompanies you at all times. At least for the next twenty four hours, or so."

Both Dan and Emma nodded. Dan said, "Thank you."

As the party were walking back out the doors, Emma noticed Hermione was not with them. Turning back she saw her daughter looking to the back of the room at Harry with a look of worry on her face.

"Hermione?" she called.

Turning, Hermione just looked at her mother.

"The healer will take care of him, dear," said Emma. "You're going to need to trust in them to do right by Harry. Now, come on. You need to take us home."

Hermione sighed a little and followed her mother out of the infirmary.

# # #

After shuttling her parents home, apparating right into the living room, the Granger adults had a quick shower, changed into mundane clothes and packed a small travel case each, and giving their owl, Curie, a feed before sending it on to Hogwarts.

Hermione then took them to a quiet laneway near their dental practice where they walked the short distance. They organised for their patients to be told they wouldn't be able to see them for a few days, claiming a mild strain of Rubella for their staff to give as an excuse. Hermione waited outside in the laneway with their bags.

They headed back into the lane where they arrived, and Hermione apparated them directly back to the castle to drop off their bags in the owners' common room before they floo'ed to Diagon Alley. It was still a secret the four heirs could apparate and they didn't want other magicals to see them arrive that way.

In Ollivander's both received their first wands, without the trace, and Hermione paid for them using her ring. They left Ollivander in a great deal of shock as he vividly remembered the two adults from when they came in with Hermione to pick up hers. He was stumped how he couldn't sense them having a magical core each then, but could now.

A quick bite to eat in the Leaky Cauldron of a wonderful thick soup and crusty bread, they chatted over a few inconsequential things.

As they'd been able to move through their business so fast, Hermione suggested they go in to the Ministry to the Department of Magical Transportation to have their home connected to the floo network. They also organised for the fireplace in their home to be magically enlarged and charmed to appear as it normally was when not in use. Again, Hermione paid for it using her ring.

The Grangers left with a small bag of floo powder and the promise the floo would be connected in a couple of days. They had been quite amused with the various people in the Ministry, and what they'd seen, when they left.

They arrived back at the castle in plenty of time before the last classes were dismissed.

Back in the owners' common room, Hermione found Neville and Susan talking animatedly with Sirius, Remus and Professor Vector. "Professor Vector?" asked Hermione. "What brings you here?"

"Lady Hufflepuff asked me to stop by and go over some notes she and Professor Lupin have been writing," the dark skinned witch replied. "They've been trying to go through the arithmancy to see if they can find the answer to how your parents became magicals."

"And, what did you find?" asked Hermione.

"We've _found_ we've little idea," she replied, shaking her head. "And we're not likely to, either."

Susan said, "The only facts we have is that Harry stripped Riddle of all his magic and, through him, drained all the magic out of about fifty Death Eaters. We also know that all that magic sprayed out of the back of his shoulder, and that most of it struck the Grangers full-on. From what we can conceive, _no one_ has _ever_ been hit with that much pure magic before.

"To measure it, we'd need to know how big on the Merlin scale each of the Death Eaters and Riddle rated. However, if we were to use the mean average with Riddle sitting at about 950 - and we got that from records - then your parents were hit with a significant portion of what would rate at about 33,500 Merlin points of magic. Of that, we think about two thirds _didn't_ hit them directly, or was bounced off. That still leaves about 11,000 points of magic power hitting them full-on."

"In other words," said the Professor. "We think your parents were directly struck with about the same amount of magic as the entire magical core's worth of _seventeen_ individual magic users. And that doesn't include whether or not what missed them and hit the wall didn't also contribute. The numbers are staggering in their enormity.

"As they were not covered with the... crystallised magic... like the wall was, the _only_ thing we can surmise is that their bodies simply absorbed it. The pure magical energy then... changed... their bodies to become magical." Professor Vector then leaned back, still quite astonished by what they'd been able to surmise from their arithmancy and summations. "If Lord Slytherin had tried to absorb the magic he pulled out of Tom Riddle, it would have consumed him."

Neville frowned and said, "I wonder..."

Susan asked, "'I wonder'... what?"

"Harry knew that Hermione wished that her parents were also magicals," he explained. "He also knew that they couldn't... shouldn't... have wards up about their home to protect them from magical attack. We also know that magic is inherently intent-based. If, when pulling the magic out through his own body, he had in the back of his mind he wished for her parents to be magical to make Hermione happy..."

"... Then the magic coming out of the back of his shoulder that hit the Grangers possibly held that intent," continued Susan. "So, when the pure magical energy struck them, it acted with that intent from Harry. And, set to work."

"Dear Merlin!" said a clearly shocked Professor Vector. "It's quite possible."

Susan stood up and said, "I'm going to go talk to the healers. Care to join me, Professor?"

"Yes... yes..." said the Professor standing, straightening her robes and heading out the door. "Excuse us, please." And they were gone.

Hermione, about to follow them, heard Neville call her name. "Huh?" she asked.

"How did it go at your dental practice and Diagon Alley?" he asked.

"Good," said Hermione. "They've informed their practice they're going to be unavailable for the next few days, and Ollivander fitted them both for wands. We also went into the Ministry and put into motion getting the fireplace at home connected to the floo network. How's it been here?"

Shrugging, Neville replied, "Don't know. Sirius and I went to Black Manor and found the book Harry got Riddle to tell us probably had the spell Lestrange used to put my parents into a coma after torturing them. He's looking through it now."

"And I think I've found it," replied Sirius. "We, too, need to speak with the healers." And he rose from where he was sitting. "Coming, Neville?"

This time Hermione was just starting to follow them when her father called to her, "Pumpkin?"

"Yes, Dad?" she asked hesitating to talk to him. "I know you want to go and see how Harry and your friends are doing; but, would you mind showing us where we're going to sleep tonight, first?"

"Oh!" said Hermione a bit embarrassed. "Hang on." And she asked the castle to arrange a married persons' suite near where they were.

*Pop* "Yes, Missy Claw?" asked the house elf that had just popped in.

Hermione looked down at it and said, "I've just asked Lady Hogwarts to prepare a married persons' suite near where we are. Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, Missy Claw!" replied the house elf. "We's just making place ready now."

Nodding, Hermione asked, "Can you please show us the way?"

"Yes, Missy Claw!" replied the house elf. "You'se follow Fizzy. Fizzy takes you."

And the little elf dashed across to the door. Hermione followed but was stopped by her father asking, "Ummm... Pumpkin? Where did our bags go?"

Hermione just smiled and said, "Follow me, and I'll show you."

Only about fifty metres down the passage there was a painting with an older couple waiting in it. "Ah!" said the man in it. "I take it you're to be our new guests?"

Without answering, Hermione turned to her father and said, "These are my parents, Dan and Emma Granger, they will be your guests for the next few days at least. I also want the room to be set aside for them on a permanent basis."

Both images in the paintings nodded and the woman said, "Then, welcome, dears. You can set the password for your suite barring entry to others by giving it to the painting of Colonel Thruppence inside the sitting room."

Though, Hermione and Dan were now used to talking paintings, Emma wasn't as much. "Ummm... thank you," she said with a bit of a stutter.

"You're welcome, dear," said the painted woman. The painting clicked and swung open into the hallway a little.

Hermione grabbed the edge of the frame and pulled it wide open. She then ushered her parents inside.

Pulling the door behind her she indicated the portrait of the Colonel, "You'll need to tell him the password you want for the door. You'll need a password to stop the Weasley twins from coming in, at least. Those two consider themselves the resident castle pranksters, and would consider coming in here a challenge that they simply _cannot_ ignore."

"Shall we have a look around while you consider a password?" she asked.

The suite had the small living room they were in, a bathroom, a toilet off the bathroom, a large bedroom with a small walk-in robe and direct access to the bathroom, a kitchen cum dining room and a small study. It was all tastefully furnished but, as with the owner's suites, the furniture was all antiquated.

The first one into the bathroom, Emma saw what was tastefully arranged on the vanity. "Dan?" she called.

"Yes, dear?" he replied having a look into the bedroom from the door between the living room and the bedroom. All our bathroom things are already here.

Dan walked into the bathroom from the door between the bedroom and bathroom and said, "Then you'll probably want to come and have a look at this."

Leading her into the bedroom he showed her their night clothes laid on the bed and the rest of their clothing in the walk in wardrobe.

"But, how?" asked Emma.

"The house elves, dear," he replied with a smile. "They tend to anticipate your every need." With a bit of a chuckle he said, "No more housework for you, my darling, while there are house elves around."

While Hermione waited for them near the portrait hole, the Grangers finished their exploration.

"Decided on your password yet?" she asked her father.

"Yes," Dan simply replied. He walked up to the portrait and said, "Colonel, we have the password for you."

"Oh, jolly good, old boy," it replied.

"The password is Gingivitis," said Dan.

"Gingivitis!" said the Colonel. "Excellent!"

Hermione smiled and said, "I really want to go and visit with Harry for a little while. Do you want to come along? I think we've still got about two hours before the evening meal in the Great Hall. Or, would you prefer to explore for a bit?"

"I think we'd like to explore for a bit, sweetheart," replied Dan. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course, not, Dad," replied Hermione. "I understand you've spent enough time in the infirmary for your stay here. Just call for a house elf if you get lost while you're exploring. They'll show you the way."

"Thank you, Pumpkin," said Dan, as Hermione opened the portrait main door, stepped out and closed it behind herself.

Just standing there, Dan turned to Emma and asked, "Ummm**... **how do you feel, Darling?"

Looking back at her husband, she replied, "I'm happy. Except for being poked and prodded in the infirmary by those... healers... I've managed to see the school where my daughter is learning magic."

"No," replied Dan. "Well, yeah; I guess I'm happy, too. I mean... how do you _feel_... physically, I mean."

Frowning a bit, Emma said, "Now that you mention it, I feel... alive." With that she grinned a little and said, "I feel like I used to feel when I was in my early twenties. You know, when we were... just getting to know each other." And a wide smile broke out on her face.

"Me, too!" said Dan happily. "I feel I like I could run to the moon or back. Or, you know,... do something else!"

With a sly grin, Emma asked, "Are you feeling... frisky, husband mine?"

"Hell, yes!" he replied.

"Me too!" she replied with a gleeful squeal, before running into the bedroom.

Dan charged after her and slammed the door shut behind himself.

# # #

Down in the infirmary Harry had only recently finished talking with the mind healer. He was surprised with how much time she spent with him. They even had lunch together.

What Harry didn't know was that the mind healer had returned to St Mungo's to write up her report for Madam Bones, and a copy for Harry's near-new medical file kept at St Mungo's.

When Hermione came in she hurried over to where Harry was gathering a few things preparing to leave the infirmary. Together, they walked over to talk to the healers, who had set up a wide table in the middle of the room and were sitting around it with various sheets of parchment. Susan and Professor Vector had recently left and they were now talking to Neville and Sirius.

Neville was nearly bouncing out of his seat in nervous excitement, while Sirius and the healers were going over a particular curse in the large book Sirius had opened in front of them.

Conjuring two chairs for he and Hermione at the table, Harry said, "Hi, everyone." And sat down.

"Good to see you feeling better, Pup," said Sirius. "Have a nice time talking to the nice lady?"

"Yeah, she was actually pretty easy to talk to," replied Harry. "She explained how I couldn't be at fault for what happened to the Death Eaters because there was no way I could have known. Except, I think I should have known considering how much power I drew out of Tom. We're at a bit of an impasse there.

"But I'm not responsible, mentally, for what happened to the Grangers because that was just my body and my magic trying to protect me by not trying to hold on to all that magic to myself. If I had tried then it would have killed me way before I was done. And Riddle would have escaped, and found a willing host.

"However, I hurt them. I think I should have asked the castle to put up a ward to protect them. But, she said any ward I put up would have failed anyway," he sighed.

Shaking his head, one of the healers said, "We just had Lady Hufflepuff - and I'm _still_ trying to get used to that, by the way - and Professor Vector in here with a theory about what happened, Lord Slytherin. However, while we recognised the flaw in their thoughts surrounding the subject, it gave us a lead as to what actually happened."

"Oh?" asked Harry.

Nodding, the healer replied, "They believed you had unconsciously had the magic turn them into magicals. The flaw in that was that you were already casting a spell, drawing the magic out of V... Riddle, at the time. So, you _couldn't_ also have been casting a second spell turning the Grangers into magicals. Besides, the magic that struck the Grangers wasn't spell magic; it was _core_ magic, unchanged into _spell_ magic. Lady Hufflepuff's and Professor Vector's calculations led us to a different theory.

"Instead, what we believe happened, is the magic struck them and entered their bodies still as _core_ magic. As core magic can only exist in a human body in a magical core, a part of the magic created a new core in each of them so that it could remain within them. It _built_ the cores where none existed, then probably all the relevant magical pathways - but, we won't be able to properly determine that until we get them into our MMRI machine at St Mungos - and settled in as if it was home. Our surface scans, however, show all the relevant pathways to be there.

"So, how are they doing?" asked Harry a bit nervously.

"As far as we can tell, they're fine," replied the healer. "Their bodies are showing no sign of the core magic dissipating. Instead, it appears their cores are getting stronger. Now their cores are drawing the magic from the ley lines and ambient magic just as other magicals do. The only thing we don't know, at this time, is just how big their magical cores actually are because they're still recharging; or, charging up for the first time. We'll have a better idea when they stop charging up."

Frowning, Harry asked, "So, they're going to _stay_ magicals then?"

"It definitely appears that way," said the healer, firmly.

Harry sagged back in relief. Before he then sat forward again. "A...And how do they feel about that? Are they upset with me about it?"

Hermione snorted and said, "Hell, no! I think they're over the moon, actually. They're definitely not unhappy."

"Where are they now?" asked Harry. "I really should apologise to them for placing them in harm's way like that."

"You apologised to them, this morning, Harry," replied Hermione. "I also had Hogwarts open a small apartment for them just down the hallway from ours. They're going to stay with us for a few days as the healers want them close by to monitor the... growth... the filling of their new magical cores."

"And... ummm... where did Madam Bones go?" asked Harry. "I really need..."

Interrupting, one of the other healers said, "She said that if you still believed you should be under arrest, then you should consider yourself under house arrest and remain here in the castle until you're called for."

"Besides," said the third healer, "you should be here for if Healer Smethwyck, the nice lady you talked to, returns tomorrow. She enjoys talking with you."

"Oh," said Harry. "Good, then."

"Now that that's out of the way," said Neville. "Sirius and I went to Black Manor and found the book Riddle told you about."

"Book?" asked Harry. "Oh, the one you asked Tom about that related to what's going on with your parents."

"Yep!" said Neville. "And, we found it! It was in the Black library where he thought it was. Sirius brought it back with us!"

"So, there's a chance we can wake your parents up?" asked Harry, hopefully.

"Not you, Lord Slytherin," replied the third healer before Neville could say anything. "That will be handled carefully by those of us at St Mungo's who are experienced with long term coma patients waking up.

"If we can reverse the effects of the curse, it'll take us at least three days to get them fully awake. And, even then, it will take careful handling of both patients to get them back to health."

"No... no...," said Harry. "Of course not us. You know this better than us. I should have thought of that myself."

The healer just sighed in exasperation. "Really, Lord Slytherin. You keep wanting people to _not_ believe all the stories written about you; and then, you go and behave like this."

"Which reminds me," said one of the healers. "You should also let us have a look at all those injuries you've suffered you related in your book. We may be able to do something about healing the injuries."

Harry firmly shook his head. "Too much to do; too little time to do it in. Besides, Her Majesty has given me a task to do and I'm on a mission to get it done."

"Need I remind you, Lord Slytherin," the healer pointed out, "You're currently under house arrest; for, at least, the next few days."

Harry grumbled a bit and grouched, "Fine! But I'm going to have the evening meal in the Great Hall first! The students need to see that I'm healthy and alive. After what happened yesterday, rumours are going to be flying..."

#BOOM!#

# # #


	27. Harry's Reward

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

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Chapter Twenty-Seven - Harry's Reward

#BOOM!#

# # #

Harry was out of his chair in a shot. He was already almost through the doors before the others at the table were even moving.

Running down the corridor the paintings were guiding his way. He skidded on the flagstones as he hit a cross corridor, the one that led to the owners' suites. As he started running he was only just in time to see Remus trying to get behind a portrait.

He remembered Hermione telling him her parents were in a suite just up from the owners' suites. That appeared to be where Remus was trying to get into.

Skidding to a halt next to Remus, he yelled, "Open!" And the painting swung open.

Remus bolted in, hesitated barely a moment, and bolted to a doorway across the other side of the room and off to one side. The door to the room was laying propped against a couch. Harry was not far behind him.

As Remus skidded to a halt just inside the doorway, Harry heard a loud shriek and some male cursing. Harry skidded to a halt alongside his honoraryuncle and looked at the scene of devastation within the room.

The canopy bed was a shambles, the windows had been blown outwards, and piece of one of the broken canopy posts had hit the wall and smashed.

Sitting in the bed with the sheet and blankets pulled up were Dan and Emma.

Dan was yelling at Remus and Emma was blushing furiously. Neither appeared harmed.

Remus spun about in place and fixedly faced back out the door.

"What the hell happened?" asked Harry.

"We have no idea!" grumbled Dan. "We were... well, we were... Never you mind, lad!"

Coming running into the room were the healers. While he was listening to what Dan was trying to say, Remus had managed to scoop up Neville and Hermione and walked them both back out the doorway.

"Oh, for goodness sakes!" said Dan exasperatedly.

The healers took one look at the Grangers and ordered Harry out of the room.

As he stepped out, wondering what the hell had happened, Harry noticed one of the healers repairing the door and doorframe. Another was trying to repair the windows and the third was repairing the bed while Dan and Emma were still in it.

Hermione was struggling in Remus's grip. "Let me go!" she cried. "They're my parents. I need to see if they're alright!"

"They're fine, Hermione," replied Remus. "It looks like it was just a bout of accidental magic, is all."

"Then why won't you let me go in there?!" she cried again.

"Because the healers are dealing with them, and you'll only get in their way," the old wolf replied calmly. "You can go in when the healers are finished and they say they're ready for visitors."

The healers were quite a while before they came back out. Two of them were blushing furiously. All three were openly grinning.

Hermione came forward and asked, "Can I go in now? I need to make sure for myself they're alright."

"They're fine," one of the healers replied. "It was just a bout of accidental magic. They're just getting dressed and they'll be out soon."

Then the three of them left.

Hermione went back to her pacing where she'd been doing it after Remus had released his grip on her.

Her parents came out not long afterwards. Emma was blushing and grinning a bit sheepishly.

"What happened?" asked Hermione walking up to them to give them each a hug. "I was _so_ worried. The healers just said it was a bout of accidental magic. But with your cores still so new I was worried it may have hurt you. Are you feeling okay? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"

"We're fine, Pumpkin," replied Dan. "It was just accidental magic. Don't worry about it."

Coughing a little Emma asked, "Umm... How about you take us on the tour of the castle now. It seems young Harry has already left. Maybe you should go and look for him, instead?"

"Harry's fine. Are you sure you're okay? We can go and search the castle later, if you like. Maybe, after dinner?" asked Hermione.

"Look, Pumpkin," said Dan, drawing her attention to him. "I think your mother and I would just like to go and take a little walk in the grounds surrounding the castle. I think we'd both like to see if we can burn off some energy before dinner. Okay?"

"Oh," replied their daughter. "Okay. I'm be next door in the owners' common room. You can find me there. Is that alright? Are you sure you don't need me to accompany you?"

"We'll be fine, love," replied Emma. "Run along, now, and join your friends."

After giving her parents a quick kiss on the cheek each, Hermione left. But, not before one last look back before she stepped out the exit.

Emma said, "When you make the earth move for me, Daniel, you don't muck about."

Dan just snorted in embarrassed amusement. "At least the healers have promised us they'll come back after we leave for dinner and cast spells to strengthen everything and cast unbreakable spells on everything else. I, for one, don't want to be interrupted like that again."

Emma chuckled.

# # #

An hour later, they knocked on the door of the owners' suites common room and were allowed to enter by Neville. The boy flat out grinned at them. They could tell he had a fair idea what they'd been doing. Emma blushed again, but decided to say nothing to the boy.

"Come in," said Neville. "We're about to head down to dinner, though."

"Yes, we know," said Dan. "We thought we'd walk in with you. That way you can direct us where to sit."

"Hi, Mum and Dad," called Hermione from where she was sitting on the couch across from the coffee table. "You can sit with me at the Ravenclaw table, if you like. Or, we can arrange for you to sit at the Head table with Sirius and Remus. Which would you prefer?"

"I... uh... think we should sit with the adults tonight, Pumpkin," replied Dan. "We can sit with you tomorrow, if you like."

"Okay," said Hermione. "I have a feeling the four of us heirs are going to get bombarded with questions from the students about what happened yesterday morning, anyway." Calling a house elf, she said, "Two more for the head table, please."

"Yes, Missy Claw!" said the elf, before popping away again.

"Are we ready, then?" asked Sirius. Getting no negative responses, he said, "Good, let's go then," and rose to his feet.

Susan and Neville, closest to the door, lead the way.

# # #

Sitting down for dinner at the Head of the Slytherin table, Harry could see there were quite a few people missing.

"Where is everyone?" he asked Tracey.

"Ummm..." she stuttered. "Some of the students were allowed home to attend... funerals. A...And spend time with their families."

"Oh, damn!" groaned Harry. "I forgot about that."

"Errr... My Lord?" she hesitantly asked.

"Yes?" groaned Harry from where he had his head bowed over the table.

"Thank you," she simply replied in a soft voice.

Harry snapped his head up and stared at her. "Thank you?" he asked.

"For making sure Vol... Tom Riddle will _never_ come back again."

Those who heard Tracey immediately fell silent and stared at her and Harry.

Harry hadn't noticed. His head was still bowed with his forearms on the table. His hands, clenched.

"I killed them, Miss Dav..." he stuttered. "I killed them, Tracey. They all died because of me."

Tracey hesitantly reached out and placed her hand over his. She gave it a gentle squeeze.

"They were very bad people, My... Harry," she said softly but firmly. "They were _all_ guilty of very bad crimes."

"Yes, thank you, My Lord," said another, Blaise Zabini, reaching out and touching Harry on the arm.

"I...," stuttered Harry. He didn't know what to tell them. He didn't know how to respond.

"Thank you, my Lord," said Daphne Greengrass.

A second year, who had overheard, rose from where he was sitting and came around. Placing his hand on Harry's shoulder, he said, "Thank you, My Lord," before he moved off.

Another came forth. Harry didn't recognise them. "Thank you, My Lord," he, a male student, said in a stronger voice.

Others, including some from the Hufflepuff table, rose from their seats, approached, and said, "Thank you, My Lord."

Tracey kept hold of his hand. She was pleased Harry hadn't pulled away.

More started to come forward. "Thank you, My Lord."

Soon, others from other house tables approached. Each one said, "Thank you, My Lord."

The Head Table - indeed, all the other tables - stopped where they were chatting before the food was served. The Head Table just watched. Headmistress McGonagallsat with her hand to her mouth and was silently crying. So were many others.

"Thank you, My Lord."

Harry sat in a daze.

"Thank you, My Lord."

On and on it went.

"Thank you, My Lord."

Every student in attendance, even Ron Weasley, came forward.

"Thank you, My Lord."

As the last of the students approached, gave their own thanks and moved away again, the staff moved forward.

"Thank you, My Lord."

Harry just sat there in a stunned daze.

"Thank you, My Lord."

'Didn't these people realise he was a mass murderer?' he thought.

"Thank you, My Lord."

'He didn't even give them a chance to defeat him in combat. They died, unable to defend themselves.'

"Thank you, My Lord."

As the staff returned to their places, Headmistress McGonagall stood and said, "We've now all said our piece, and thanked our saviour..." Harry winced. "... But, it's now time we were fed and watered. Heads of Houses, if you please."

Hermione stood and commanded, "In the... way of Lord Slytherin; serve!"

Neville stood and commanded, "Serve!"

Susan stood and commanded, "Serve!"

Then, finally, Harry stood and softly commanded, "Serve."

And Headmistress McGonagall, still standing, said, "Serve!"

One by one the tables filled with a full serving of various courses. Head table, last.

In front of him, the students began to load their plates. Noticing Harry wasn't putting anything on his plate, Tracey began to load his for him. "You need to eat, My Lord," she said. "Please, eat something."

Harry sighed, picked up his cutlery, and began to mechanically eat his food.

He didn't even notice Tracey and Daphne, who sat opposite, surreptitiously loading his plate with more and more food.

He was just thankful the meal finally ended so he could return to the owners' common room.

Shortly thereafter, he took his leave and went to bed.

# # #

The next morning he felt a lot better, he even went down to breakfast with a bit of a smile on his face.

Those who saw him thought it was because he had finally accepted he wasn't to blame. Harry, though, knew it was the day he was scheduled to, once again, visit Her Majesty. There, she would commit him to High Justice.

What he wasn't expecting was what he read in the _Daily Prophet_. He hadn't read it since the morning of his 'getting rid' of Tom Riddle for good. He didn't know why he hadn't sought out a copy of it. He suspected it was his subconscious refusing to think of it to read of his crimes.

He had also forgotten to speak with the others and draft a media release inviting the media to, again, attend the castle. They had still promised to answer their questions about what had happened. But, this time, it would be just to answer questions.

However, he saw at the bottom of one of the stories where the _Prophet_ said they had received the 'invitation' and would be attending. He kept it in his mind to talk to the others about it. And to thank them for getting it done. He didn't want the bad press saying they'd lied and a media conference wasn't going to be on, after all.

Looking around the Hall he noticed there was no sign of Neville, and Sirius still hadn't arrived down. Susan and Hermione were in their places and Remus was up at the Head Table. Dan and Emma were sitting at the ends of the table either side of Hermione, and they were chatting animatedly with both Hermione and some of the First Year students.

The paper also had an article about how Harry had turned two mundanes - the paper was finally using the term mundane instead of muggle (and Harry suspected Sirius's hand in that) - into magicals. It also included a short statement from the healers saying it had never happened before, and how they doubted it could possibly ever happen again.

Dobby had also popped by to let him know the amount of mail he had been receiving had, once more, begun to increase. This morning, he had received many more marriage proposals than normal. Some he knew he'd already received during the period immediately after he started receiving mail again. Obviously, people still thought him to be a 'good catch'.

This morning, it appeared everyone was willing to leave him alone to his thoughts. Tracey and Daphne tried to engage him in polite conversation but gave up when his answers were simple, almost always, one word responses.

After he'd finished eating he walked across and, asking a First Year Hufflepuff at the end of the table to slide across, sat down. The girl looked upon him in awe.

"Susan?" he asked his colleague. "Where's Neville? Doesn't he normally come down with you?"

Susan replied, "He and Sirius had an appointment at St Mungo'searly this morning. I believe they're waking up Neville's parents, for the first time."

"Oh!" said Harry, surprised. "I didn't realise they'd be able to try quite so soon."

"Once they knew the spell that had put them into the coma," she said, "they were quickly able to fashion another spell, combined with treatments, to wake them up. Fawkes... sorry, Polaris... has gone to meet them there. They're hoping his phoenix song will be able to help keep them calm when they're first awoken."

"Oh, good," said Harry. "I hope all goes well with them. Neville and his family have been just as much a victim of Dumbledore's manipulations as me and my family."

Hesitating a moment, Susan looked directly at Harry and asked, "How are you doing, Harry? I haven't had much of an opportunity to sit and talk with you these past couple of days."

"Yeah. Good," replied Harry. "It'll all be over this afternoon. When we visit with Her Majesty."

He didn't hear the First Year Hufflepuff girl next to him gasp in shock.

Frowning, Susan asked, "Just what do you think is going to happen with Her Majesty?"

"High Justice!" replied Harry firmly. "As a peer of her realm she has clearly decided she will be the one to try me for my crimes."

Surprised by what he'd said, Susan just sat there for a few moments. Then she reached out and smacked Harry in the back of the head.

"Ow!" said Harry, in surprise of his own, turning to look at her with a hurt look on his face. "What'd you do that for?"

"That was for thinking you need to be punished," she replied, firmly.

"But," he spluttered, "I _killed_ people, Suse! I killed a _lot_ of them!"

She reached out and smacked him in the back of the head again. "Stop it!"

"Ow! Suse!" he exclaimed.

"_Harry James Potter!_" she scolded him, not a little angry. "_Promise_ me, that you will accept what Her Majesty says. It will be _Her_ decision and you will _respect_ it. _Promise_ me!"

"_Okay!_" he replied somewhat hurt. "Damn, Suse; I _promise_, okay? I am Her servant, after all."

Still glaring at him a little Susan just nodded her head once and said, "Good. I accept your promise. Now, go back to your own table and stop scaring my 'Puffs."

Feeling like a whipped puppy, Harry went back to his own table.

Tracey and Daphne, he wondered when he started thinking of them by their first names rather than Miss Davies and Miss Greengrass, were quite sympathetic for the way Susan had hit him.

# # #

After breakfast, Harry headed back to the infirmary. He had a morning appointment with the lovely lady witch mind healer.

Walking in, he saw the Grangers had already beaten him there. There was only one of the trio of healers that were working on them the past two days, in attendance.

"How are they?" asked Harry.

"Good, actually," replied the healer looking pleased. "Their magical cores still seem to be growing."

Frowning, Harry asked, "What are they up to, now?"

"Just under 500 Merlins," said the healer. "Mister Granger's core is slightly larger than Mrs Granger's, at the moment. But, we think we know why that is."

"Why?" asked Harry, quite curious.

"While their cores have been growing, or filling up, their magic has also been working at healing them," the healer replied.

"Healing?" asked Harry, quite concerned. "I... hurt them... a lot?"

"Oh!" replied the healer in sudden understanding. "No, no. The magic is healing... damage their bodies already had before the... incident."

"Harry," spoke up Dan. "He means the normal damage that happens to a human body as it starts to get old. What he's referring to is the magic is somehow _de-aging_ our bodies. He thinks, once the magic has finished doing its work, we'll look like a mundane couple of about our mid-twenties. At least, that's what a late thirties _magical_ couple looks like."

"Oh," replied Harry in understanding. "That's good, then, right?"

With a wide grin Dan replied, "That's _very_ good."

With a returning grin, Harry went to take a seat in 'his' version of the two armchairs the nice mind healer witch had conjured for them yesterday. He had just called an elf to bring them some tea when she arrived.

Harry stood and said, "Welcome back, Ma'am."

"Oh, pish, Harry," she replied with a flick of her hand, "What did I say yesterday? You can call me Gwenneth."

"Sorry, Gwenneth," replied Harry with a smile.

He waited until the witch had sat down and was starting to rummage about in her bag until he sat down himself.

Once she had everything out and set up the way she liked, she looked back at Harry with a pleased smile and said, "So, Harry; tell me what's been happening since last we chatted."

And Harry launched into what was happening with the Grangers, about their bout of accidental magic, about how all the students and staff came up to thank him just before the evening meal last night, and about what Susan said to him that morning.

Gwenneth smiled, frowned and encouraged where appropriate. Harry just enjoyed his time chatting with her.

She left about an hour later.

# # #

Harry noticed the Grangers and the healers had already left, so headed up to the owners' suites common room. In there he drew forth a sheet of parchment and began to write. However, he had to set aside what he was going to do when Dobby popped in.

"Master Harry Potter, Sir?" he asked.

"Yes, Dobby?"

"Is Master Harry Potter, Sir, ready to read all the incoming and sign all the outgoing mail he's received over the past few days?" asked Dobby respectfully.

"Damn!" said Harry with feeling before turning the his most loyal servant. "Sorry, Dobby. I'd completely forgotten about it."

The little elf just waited.

"Okay, then," said Harry. "We'd best be about it. Let's see it all, then.

Dobby snapped his fingers and an in-tray appeared stacked high with parchment. Alongside it was an empty out-tray.

Harry just sighed at the tower of parchment and began to go through it. Mostly, he only scanned the incoming mail and its corresponding outgoing letter or note, signed it, and placed it in the in-tray. Dobby had already disappeared.

He worked hard at it for a couple hours. By the end, he was suffering from 'quill-cramp'.

Sitting back with a sigh he called Dobby and had the elf take away the mail. Then, he pulled back in front of him the sheets of parchment he was working on and continued putting his thoughts down on parchment. He was running out of time before he had to go to his appointment with the Queen.

Harry knew the Queen was probably going to lock him away as of that afternoon and wanted to get as much committed to parchment as he could. He wrote out for Her Majesty how the Wizengamot broke down. He had to detail what each of the Houses on the Wizengamot were, whether they were Most Ancient, Ancient, Elder or - in the case of the Magical House of Malfoy - Magical. He also listed how each House currently aligned themselves, to the best of his knowledge.

The so-called 'light' side was of seven houses: Abbott, Black, Bones, Longbottom, Marchbanks, Potter and Stebbins. The so-called 'dark' side was, also, of seven families: Avery, Crabbe, Goyle, Rosier, Yaxley, Parkinson and Malfoy. The so-called 'grey', unaligned, side was of four families: Greengrass, MacMillan, Ogden and Smith. Dumbledore had sat as Castellan for Hogwarts and supposedly sided with the light. However, he also had support from two of the grey families, ensuring his position was, until recently, secure.

He went on to further list each of the Department Heads who sat on the Wizengamot, including Madam Umbridge (who was only an Undersecretary). They were: The Minister, Cornelius Fudge; Undersecretary to the Minister, Dolores Umbridge; Department of Magical Games and Sports, Hamish MacFarlan; Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, Arnold Peasegood; Department of International Magical Cooperation, Barty Crouch Snr; Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones; Department of Magical Transportation, Basil Wood; Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Cuthbert Mockridge; and Department of Mysteries, Algernon "Croaker". Though, the last never attended.

All the rest of the so-called seats were being sat in proxy by the other Houses as their lines had been ended during the previous war, during the 1970s, or before. That meant there were some Wizengamot members who were holding as many as ten seats by proxy. And they could vote each of their proxy seats along with their own. It gave certain individuals far too much voting power.

Harry recommended that those seats that were occupied because their lines had been ended, and were illegally being held by proxies on behalf of other houses, be removed. He also recommended that the members of the Ministry who sat within the Wizengamot were also removed. He couldn't see how they could sit unbiased when laws could be passed that related to themselves and their own departments; especially, at budget time.

Harry further recommended that those Most Ancient, Ancient and Elder Houses that weren't ennobled, be given consideration for ennobling under the wizarding world definition of it. And fix the number of ennobled members on the Wizengamot at fifty excluding, Herself; or, in her stead, the Royal Wizard.

Then Harry laid out that, instead of Ministry officials filling seats, forty-nine seats should be opened to elected representatives from the people of the wizarding community. And one seat, the Minister, should be filled as appointed by the Prime Minister as part of his Cabinet.

This would create a combined wizarding _merged_ House of Lords and Commons with 101 members sitting in deliberation if the entire Wizengamot was in attendance. He also suggested the Heads of Department, especially the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, also be in attendance, but not as Members of the Wizengamot. Instead, they would sit as advisors, without a vote, and would only be permitted to speak when specifically asked for information relating to their own portfolios within the Ministry. They would also not be permitted to wear the purple and silver trimmed robes of members of the Wizengamot. Theirs would be plain black.

Harry did not believe there were currently sufficient numbers of wizarding folk in magical Britain for a larger body to govern them. The war in the 1930-40s, where many flocked to Grindelwald's banner, followed by the war in the 1970s, by the first incarnation of Riddle, had so decimated the number of wizarding kind in Britain that the current populace could not hope to support a larger body.

That many of the pure blood, ennobled Houses joined either Grindelwald or Riddle in full, causing their paternal lines to either end or be so gutted they died out soon after, made things easier for Harry; and, therefore, the Queen. It meant those Houses who all had seats upon the Wizengamot could be removed from the Roster of Members. It would both make way for new blood lines to be elevated and for a partial elected membership to step forth and be seated.

However, Harry also believed the number sitting upon the Wizengamot should be up for review once each decade to keep pace with the growth of the community. At that time, either new seats could be added through elevation or adding more elected members.

He then suggested to Her Majesty he meet with her, Sir Kingston, the other three heirs, and whomever else; to go through it all.

By the time he finished writing everything out, and laying everything out in written form as part of his report to the Queen, the other three heirs were in the owners' common room.

Harry walked across to Neville and asked, "Nev, mate. How are your parents?"

Without saying a word, Neville simply stood up and gave Harry a very strong hug. Harry, a bit shocked, ended up hugging him back for a few seconds.

When Neville back off again, he said, "They're awake, Harry. My parents have woken up." He had tears in his eyes.

"Damn, Nev!" replied Harry, happy for his friend. "That's brilliant!"

"The healers only woke them up for a minute or two, just to make sure they were going to stay awake, before they put them back to sleep again," the clearly happy Lord Gryffindor said. "Now that they know they're out of the comas, they're pumping them full of major healing potions to get their bodies back to normal health. That should take a couple of days, then they're going to wake them up for good and have a mind healer spend time with them."

Harry was happy for his friend. He was glad there was some good come from his having to deal with Riddle. Both Susan and Hermione had tears in their eyes, and Hermione had a case of the sniffles.

After Neville had sat back down again, still quite pleased, Harry handed him the stack of parchment he'd been working on concerning the Wizengamot.

"Nev," he asked. "Would you mind going over these notes of mine... my latest report to Her Majesty... and seeing if you can improve on any of it?"

Looking up at Harry, Neville took the documents and laid them out on the coffee table in front of him. The girls also leaned forward. It wasn't until then Harry noticed the Grangers were also in the room. "Oh!" he said noticing them. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"That's okay, lad," replied Dan. "What have you got there?"

"I've had it in my head to start focussing on Her Majesty's first task for us; fixing the Wizengamot. I wanted to get some things down on parchment before Her Majesty locks me up, this afternoon."

"Stop that!" Hermione snapped at him.

"Huh?" replied Harry.

"I said, 'Stop that'," she replied. "You don't know what Her Majesty is going to do, so stop treating it as a foregone conclusion."

Before Harry could respond, Susan half-growled, "Do I need to smack you again, Lord Slytherin?"

Harry held up both his hands in surrender and replied, "No, no! I'll just sit here then, okay?" And sat next to Neville.

He sat and waited for his friend and colleague to read through his report and attachments.

Neville sat reading, frowning, for a while before once more looking at Harry with a look of surprise on his face. "This is amazing, Harry." He looked across at the other two and said, "Ladies? Have a read of this. Harry's decided the Wizengamot needs to be redesigned and has been writing a report to the Queen laying out his idea for her."

Neville passed them the sheaf of parchments to read.

Harry was worried. What he planned, with what he hoped to accomplish with the Queen's backing, would set Wizarding Britain's society on its ear. However, both Neville and Susan... even he, himself, when he thought of it... were also going to be victims of that upending of society. He wasn't worried about Hermione as she was both mundane-born and raised. But the other two could upset matters before they even began.

"Bloody Hell, Harry!..." exclaimed Susan.

'Oh-oh,' thought Harry.

"... It's brilliant!" Susan continued to exclaim.

For once, Hermione didn't scold Susan over her language.

Harry was stunned by her overwhelming support. "Errr... you like?" he asked.

"Definitely!" she firmly stated.

Hermione looked back at Harry with no small amount of awe. "You've been holding out on us, Harry," she said.

Harry looked across at Neville and could see his best male friend was grinning back like a loon. "I take it you're in support, too?" he asked.

"As Susan said," replied Neville, "Definitely!"

Harry sagged in relief. "I wasn't sure how you or Susan were going to take it; as you're pure-bloods and all."

Neville said, "Don't be a git. Everything you've said in there is solid fact. I bet both Gran and Amelia would agree, too. But, there was _no way_ the other ennobled were going to let go of their '_free_' votes if it was simply raised as a motion. So, neither would have even considered it, otherwise."

Susan nodded and said, "However, if the Queen stamps her authority over the Wizengamot, they will have no choice but to go along with it. After all, she can strip them of their ennoblement at a whim, if she so chooses."

A much happier Harry said, "Then, are there any changes you can recommend before our appointment with Her?"

The other three talked about it between themselves while Harry sat back and waited. Finally, Neville said, "No. But how do we rank the order presented for each of the non-ennobled Houses to step forward? We can't have a situation where we need five more ennobled members and fifteen people are eligible to take them."

Harry frowned. He hadn't thought of that. His original plan was just to have them came forward alphabetically. But, how could someone named 'Blenkinsop' be more important than someone named 'Edgecombe' and that person be more important than 'Scrimgeour'?

Even in their Most Ancient, Ancient, Elder and Magical 'rankings', that was just too many Houses to ennoble.

Susan said, "Okay, Neville and I should be doing research into that with Auntie 'Melia and Madam Longbottom. Auntie 'Melia can use DMLE records to go through the records of all the Magical Houses to see if the latest Heads of those Houses, and or their heirs, have gotten into too much strife."

"Yeah," said Neville, "and Gran has quite extensive records on almost all the wizarding families across Magical Britain, and knows who's done 'great things' and would be a deserving family of ennoblement. For instance; Damocles Belby invented the Wolfsbane Potion almost a decade ago, Newt Scamander has done amazing things in cataloguing magical creatures, and... Hell... we've basically given Severus Snape an Order of Merlin by giving him the details on how to cure lycanthropy."

"His being a former Death Eater should play against that, though," said Hermione.

"If he earns the Order of Merlin?" asked Neville before answering his own question. "No one's going to give a damn."

"Okay," said Harry, "you've got plenty of time for this. Hopefully, Amelia and Augusta will come through for us again." Thinking a bit, he said musingly, "I wonder if I can convince Her Majesty to give one or both a knighthood. Hell, they've both been working their butts off so much already around our return. we've just dumped a whole lot more upon them..."

Neville, who was taking a drink out of a goblet at the time, sprayed those sitting opposite with his pumpkin juice when what Harry had said had finally percolated in his brain.

"Ewww!" said Susan, sitting with orange coloured juice dripping from her hair, face and clothes.

"...And," continued Harry, not really paying attention, "that doesn't take into consideration how much they've been the true 'Leaders of the Light' within the wizarding world for the past ten plus years. Even though Dumbles has been decrying _he's_ the Leader of the Light to anyone who would listen."

Hermione, frowning because she, too, had been hit - though not as badly as Susan - and negligently waved her hand and cleared them both of the... residue while trying to pay attention to Harry.

"You..." stuttered Neville, "...want to get the Queen to give my Gran a _knighthood_?"

"Sure!" replied Harry. "If there's been _anyone_ 'fighting the good fight' these past ten years, it's your grandmother and Amelia. Besides, she took out the Lestranges and Barty Crouch Junior four on one."

Harry then glanced down at his watch and exclaimed, "Lunch time!"

Shaking his head in wonder, Neville said, "Yeah, sure; let's go eat. After he drops _that_ on me."

Dan was just sitting there, chuckling. Emma gave him a light smack to the back of the head.

# # #

After a quick lunch in the Great Hall the four heirs, the Grangers, Sirius and Remus all went back to the owner's common room. Inside, Augusta was waiting for them dressed in her finery.

Neville rushed over to her, hesitated a moment, and gave her a hug.

"Lords and Ladies, please hurry up and get changed," she instructed them.

"Yes, Ma'am," the four heirs said, heading for their rooms.

Looking to the Grangers, she said, "If I may ask, do you two have something to change into?"

"Not wizards robes, no," replied Dan. "However, we have something nice to wear next door."

"I'll leave you to it, then," replied Augusta. "We'll meet back here in... ten minutes?"

Don nodded but looked at Emma. "Em?" he asked.

"That should do," said Emma, before turning on her heel and heading back out. Dan followed behind.

Looking down at Sirius she asked, "And what do you think you're doing, Lord Black?"

Looking confused, Sirius replied, "Errr... Putting my feet up? I don't have a class until later this afternoon."

"Get changed, Lord Black!" scowled Augusta. "Her Majesty is also expecting _you_!"

"Me?" asked Sirius, astonished. "Why does she want to see me?"

"It was not my place to ask, Lord Black," she replied, still scowling. "Now, off with you. Go and get changed."

"Yes, Ma'am!" exclaimed Sirius before he bolted for the door. As the door opened he shifted into Padfoot and was gone.

Looking at Remus she said, "I'm sorry to say, Professor Lupin, she didn't _specifically_ ask for your attendance. However, I'm sure you'll be welcome if you'd like to come along."

Holding up his hands, Remus said, "No, no. That's okay. I'll just go and... let Professor McGonagall know Sirius won't be available for a few hours again."

"If you wish," said Augusta.

Remus hurried out of the room with Augusta scowling at his back. As the door closed, her face broke into a wide smile. 'I've still got it,' she thought.

Harry and Neville, as expected, return to the common room first. What was surprising was when Sirius knocked on the door before either Susan or Hermione came out of their own rooms. Sirius came in a bit puffed, but clearly quite pleased with himself when he noticed the girls hadn't made an appearance.

"Having the animagus form of a grim has its perks!" he boasted. "I even made two Seventh Years faint just by running past them!"

Scowling at him, Augusta said, "I hope you at least let Poppy know where they were, or had someone else take them to the infirmary."

"Ummm..." said Sirius a bit sheepishly. "No?"

Augusta sighed and asked, "Where are they?"

"In the corridor just on the other side of the grand staircase, outside my office and classroom," replied Sirius.

Augusta sighed and sent off a patronus message to Madam Pomfrey. "At least it's not far from the infirmary," she said.

Harry was surprised to see her patronus was a lioness. 'It fits, though,' he thought.

Shortly thereafter they were joined by Susan and Hermione. Her parents arrived a couple minutes later.

"Are we waiting on Aunt 'Melia," asked Susan.

"No, dear," replied Augusta. "She'll be waiting for us there." Turning to the wider room, she said, "Now, that's everyone. Let's be off, shall we?"

Augusta strode over to the fireplace, took a pinch of floo powder and called, "Buckingham Palace!" The flames whooshed and turned green.

Sticking her head into the flames she called, "Anyone there?"

A movement out of the corner of his eye caught Harry's attention. He turned to see both Grangers standing there looking at Augusta in shock.

Walking over to them he said, "This is your first time travelling by floo, isn't it."

Both just nodded their heads.

"Okay," said Harry soothingly. "We'll get you through this."

He led them over to the fireplace and called to Augusta as she pulled her head back, "Madam Longbottom?"

Turning to Harry, Augusta cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yes, Lord Slytherin?" she asked.

"We have a couple of first-timers here," replied Harry. "If Neville and I step through first. We can be ready to catch them on the other side, just like we did with the colonel."

"A wise precaution, My Lord," she said.

With a grin, Harry turned to Neville and asked, "Through together again, Nev?"

Neville grinned and joined Harry standing in the fireplace. Harry already had the pinch of powder and put his other arm around Neville. He looked at the Grangers and said, "Watch carefully." Then threw the powder at their feet and called, "Buckingham Palace!"

They disappeared with a whoosh of flame.

# # #

Stepping out into the Queen's Audience Room at the Palace, Harry saw Colonel Benton and a Page waiting for them. He said, "Be with you in a minute," before turning back to the fireplace. He and Neville waited for a few seconds.

A few moments later, there was a quick whoosh of green flame and Dan just about came flying out of the fireplace. Harry and Neville, expecting it, quickly caught him before he sprawled across the floor. They helped him gain his balance before stepping forward again.

"Okay, that was a little disconcerting," said Dan.

Next came Emma. However, she wasn't moving as fast and Harry and Neville didn't have to struggle so much to help her get her balance. She had clearly waited a heartbeat longer than Dan before stepping out. She'd bled off most of her velocity on her own. They backed off and guided Emma to stand with Dan.

Harry asked Neville, "Can you please remember to tell Dan and Emma the secret to exiting the floo when you leave here?"

Cocking an eyebrow at Harry as Hermione and Susan popped daintily out of the floo, Neville asked, "And why can't you?"

"I don't know what Her Majesty is going to decide will be my punishment," replied Harry while he was clearing the soot off the Grangers and himself.

Neville just snorted and shook his head in response.

Sirius came next, followed by Augusta.

Once they'd all been 'de-sooted', Harry turned to the colonel and said, "That's all of us."

The colonel regally bowed and said, "Very good, My Lord. Please follow me."

Looking around, Sirius exclaimed, "Wow! Big room!"

Harry just turned and smiled at him.

The colonel led them back through the palace to the Throne Room. Like the last time they were here, they were led through and into an ante-chamber that was guarded by two more Pages. One of the Pages held the door open for them as they approached.

Sirius was commenting on just about everything that caught his eye, including the throne and how Dumbledore would be envious of it, as they were led along.

As he was about to enter the room where the other three heirs had taken up their rings and they'd all been 'dubbed', Harry hung back and said to his godfather, "Sirius? We need the real _Lord Black_ in here, okay?"

Nodding solemnly to his godson, Sirius replied, "Okay, Pup. No being the 'fun uncle' in front of Her Majesty."

"Thank you," said Harry with all seriousness, before stepping through into the room beyond.

# # #

Her Majesty was dressed a bit more formally, this time. She was wearing robes. Her diamond tiara was also a little larger. As was the retinue. This time, Prince Phillip was also in attendance, in the full military regalia of a High Admiral. Prince Charles was sitting on the other side of the Queen in his own Captain's uniform.

'Am I being tried or court-martialled,' thought Harry.

Standing about halfway between the middle of the room and the left wall, was Amelia. She was standing with a file containing parchment under her left arm, but no less well dressed. She wore formal Auror's robes. Standing with her were the Prime Minister, Sir David and Sir Anthony.

When he reached about twenty feet from the foot of his Queen, the Page gave a bow before spinning about and directing their party to where he wanted them standing. The four heirs stood together, in a line across, twenty feet in front of Her Majesty. The adults were directed to stand in a position, also in a line, on the side opposite Amelia and her small party.

The Page, once the guests were where he wanted them, stood just off to the side of the four heirs and after a deep bow, said, "Your Majesty. I present..."

The Queen gave the Page a flick of her hand and he shut up, instantly.

"Thank you, Stephen," She said. "That will be all."

The Page gave a second deep bow and moved to join the Royal retinue.

After a small hesitation, the Queen said, "Just over two months ago We had an... uppity... young Lord claim Privilege of Peerage to Our Prime Minister, and demand audience with Us. To say We were unhappy at this... presumptuousness... would be an understatement."

Charles gave a little snort of amusement. Her Majesty ignored him.

"However," she continued, "this young Lord proved his right, and the validity of his claim, by informing Us of sedition within one of Our Ministries, and the wizarding world in general.

"Furthermore, this young Lord, the Earl of Slytherin, informed Us of another three rightful heirs of Earldoms under Our dominion We had thought extinct for many centuries. That, alone, won him Our favour.

"It has recently been brought to our attention that, of the three tasks Our young Lord took upon himself, and onto the shoulders of his three colleagues, he has already made great strides in the first of them - the redesign of the school curriculum - and completed most utterly the third - the eradication of the self-styled terrorist known as Voldemort and his followers."

Glancing over at Madam Bones, she looked Harry straight in the eye and said, "We have witnessed, for Ourselves, through the device known as a pensieve, what you did on the morning of just a few short days ago. And, We find Ourselves, once more astonished by you, My Lord Potter."

Looking over at Amelia she said, "Madam Bones has also provided us with a significant and detailed report as to what effect your actions of that morning achieved."

Harry bowed his head in shame.

"Furthermore, she has also provided Us with a report from your mind healer as to how this has affected you," She said.

"I killed about fifty people, Your Majesty," said Harry feeling shame. "I'm a mass-murderer."

"Lord Potter," She snapped. "Look at me!"

Harry snapped his head up in shock.

"Lord Potter, We are _not_ wroth with you," She said. "In fact, we are _most pleased_. And We _most certainly_ do not consider you a mass-murderer!"

Harry just stared back in shock.

"But.. but..." stuttered Harry.

"No, 'buts', My Lord," She firmly said. "We are led to believe you have, in a most _effective_ fashion, eliminated for good the terrorist, Tom Marvolo Riddle, also falsely known as Lord Voldemort, and _fifty-six_ of his most avid followers; all, of which, had committed _at least_ once the abhorrent crime of cold-blooded murder.

"I assure you, Lord Potter, if you had not... _unknowingly_... killed them, We would have ordered their executions. Through your accident you have saved us the effort required to have them _so_ executed."

"Further," She continued, "We are informed Mister Riddle would have killed them, anyway, if he had been alive and it gave him an advantage. The fact you feel remorse and shame for what occurred speaks highly of you. However, it is misplaced."

"No, My Lord Potter, though you seem to expect it you do not find yourself facing punishment, this day," She said. "Instead, we have decided to reward you for your actions."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing.

The Queen stood, as did Prince Phillip and Prince Charles.

She walked forward and stopped about five feet short of him. Harry didn't notice the man move, but another Page came forward carrying a cushion. He stopped and stood sideways just in front of her and just off to one side.

"Step forward, Lord Harry James Potter, Earl of Slytherin," She instructed him.

Harry stepped forward a couple of paces and stood there in shock.

Hesitating barely a moment the Queen reached across and lifted from the cushion what looked like a beautiful medallion hanging on a red ribbon. She turned and held it just out from her body by the ribbon and said to Harry, "Bow your head, My Lord Potter."

Harry, not knowing what else to do, and unable to stop it anyway, obeyed her command and bowed his head forward.

The Queen then said, "For services to Our realm, and magical Britain - in ridding us, for good, of the terrorist leader Tom Marvolo Riddle, and his organisation, the Death Eaters - We award you the Order of Merlin, First Class; _as is Our right_." And she hung over Harry's neck the beautiful medal.

Harry didn't hear the gasps of shock come from the other magicals in the room.

Harry raised his head and said, "Ummm... Th...thank you, Your Majesty."

The Queen gave a short sharp nod and quietly said, "You may step back now, My Lord Potter."

Harry stepped backwards until he once more stood beside his friends. He didn't know what else to say or do.

The Queen turned on her heels, walked back to her seat and sat down. Prince Phillip and Prince Charles followed suit.

Once she was seated and had smoothed out her robes, she said, "Now. We have followed, with interest, the events that have transpired while you and your friends have been within the magical world these past few weeks. We understand you have had to accept your mantles as the Lords and Ladies of the Castle Hogwarts. Thereby, nearly destroying your careful planning. And We have viewed the pensieve memories of that event."

Harry wondered from where she's gotten hold of one or more of those.

"Even with your plans in near ruins, We have also come to understand you, and your fellow Lord and Ladies, have accomplished quite a few other feats, too.

Leaning forward slightly, She said, "We find ourselves most pleased with all of you. Keep up the very good work."

Sitting back she then said, "You four may rejoin your fellow guests for the moment."

A Page ushered them across to stand with Sirius, Madam Longbottom, and the Grangers.

"Madam Augusta Longbottom, please step forward," Her Majesty called.

Harry, who had been looking down at his unexpected medal, looked up.

The same Page then led Augusta to stand where Harry and the other three had just so recently stood.

Augusta stood in the middle of the floor with her head held high.

"Madam Longbottom," said Her Majesty. "This morning, We had the distinct _dis_pleasure of having Our Minister for Magic, Mister Cornelius Fudge, and his so-called Undersecretary, Miss Dolores Umbridge, stand before Us where you now stand."

Augusta frowned a little.

"We were in the middle of... remonstrating with Minister Fudge concerning his actions. At least, those of which We are aware," said the Queen. "During the course of that discussion, Mister Fudge engaged in the worst behaviour and committed the most grievous act of _lese majeste_ we have ever witnessed. When I ordered his immediate arrest, Miss Umbridge attempted to commit _regicide_ upon Our person."

Everyone on Harry's side of the room gasped in shock. Harry noticed the only reaction on the face of Amelia was a grimace with pursed lips. Those with her were clearly already aware of what had transpired.

"Miss Umbridge was shot and killed by Our loyal staff where she stood before she could commit such an act. Then, under guidance by Madam Bones, I was able to bind the magic of Mister Fudge, before sending him off to one of Our Prisons where he shall spend the rest of his miserable life.

"Through Our own intelligence gathering, and through advisement and wise counsel, We have decided to offer you the position of Minister for Magic in Our name. Do you accept?"

"I...," Augusta stuttered, "Yes, Your Majesty; I accept."

"Good," nodded the Queen firmly.

Another Page stepped forward with a cushion with a scroll of parchment placed upon it.

"That parchment," said the Queen with a slight nod of her head towards the scroll, "contains the details of Our Royal Writ and your remit to your office. You now answer _directly_ to the Prime Minister and to Us. Please, take it."

Augusta reached out and took the scroll from the cushion before turning back to the Queen. "Thank you, You Majesty," she stuttered.

"You may step back and join your family and friends," said the Queen.

Augusta moved over to join the others.

"Madam Amelia Susan Bones, please step forward," ordered the Queen.

Amelia was a little startled by being called upon, but stepped to where Augusta had just stood.

"Madam Amelia Susan Bones, through Our own intelligence gathering, and through advisement and wise counsel, We have decided to offer you the position of Chief Justice to magical Britain in Our name. Do you accept?"

"Yes, Your Majesty; I accept," replied Amelia.

"Good," nodded the Queen firmly again.

Another Page stepped forward with a cushion with a scroll of parchment placed upon it.

"That parchment," said the Queen with a slight nod of her towards the scroll, "contains the details of Our Royal Writ and your remit to your office. You now answer _directly_ to the President of the Supreme Courts of the United Kingdom and to Us. Your title will be Chief Justice. Please, take it."

Amelia reached out and took the scroll from the cushion before turning back to the Queen. "Thank you, You Majesty," she said.

"You may step back and join your family and friends," said the Queen.

Amelia moved over to join the others. Looking down in shock at the scroll she held in her hand.

Once again standing, as did both princes, Her Majesty said, "We would be pleased to see you all join Us shortly in the library for an informal gathering."

Then she left through the same door as last time, both princes following, followed by the rest of her retinue.

When she left Harry quickly found himself surrounded by his friends and, dare he say it, family. All of whom where admiring the medal and congratulating him. Or, congratulating Augusta and Amelia. Sir David and Sir Anthony also came over and offered their own congratulations to the three.

Very soon, Colonel Benton came over and asked them to follow him. He was leading them to the library.

# # #


	28. The Magical Parliament's First Day

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Magical Parliament's First Day.

In the library they found the same setup as last time. However, this time, there were a few more twin settees. And, where there was a single armchair last time for the Queen, this time there were two.

Harry and Hermione sat together again, as did Susan and Neville. Amelia sat with Sir Anthony as Augusta sat with Sir David. The Grangers sat together, as usual. Sirius had a settee to himself. They were soon joined by the Royal Wizard, Sir Kingston Davies, who sat with Sirius.

Sirius soon realised he recognised Sir Kingston. Sirius was a First Year when Sir Kingston was one of the seniors in Ravenclaw. They were quickly engaged in a conversation about their days at Hogwarts.

Both Amelia and Augusta had undone their scrolls and were reading through them. This time, Harry kept an eye on the door from where the Queen had entered last time.

A server then came around and took their beverage orders. Another placed a tray of small sandwiches on the coffee table in the middle with little sandwich plates ready for people to load.

A few minutes later, with people nibbling on sandwiches and sipping tea or coffee. Her Majesty and Prince Charles entered from the side door. A few retainers followed them in.

Harry softly but firmly said, "All rise!" as he stood, himself.

The others very quickly followed and turned to where his eyes were fixed on the two Royals.

The Queen continued to come forward and took her seat, followed by Prince Charles. Then the others resumed their seats.

"Now the formalities are out of the way," started the Queen, "how is everyone doing?"

Harry spoke first. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, if I may have the honour, allow me to present my godfather, Lord Sirius Orion Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

Turning to his godfather, Harry said, "My Lord Black, allow me to introduce, Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, Head of the Royal and Elder House of Windsor, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth."

Sirius, no fool when he wanted to be, slid off the settee and dropped to one knee with his head bowed. "Your Majesty," he said solemnly.

Not one to be easily shocked, Her Majesty said, "Rise, Lord Black, and be seated." When Sirius sat back in his seat with a smile, she said, "It is good to see you have recovered from your ordeal within that horrid prison."

Sirius gave a nod of his head and simply replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Harry also said, "My Lord Black, also allow me to introduce, His Royal Highness The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor, Scion and Heir of the Royal and Elder House of Windsor, Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland."

Once more Sirius slid off the settee and dropped to one knee with his head bowed. "Your Royal Highness," he said.

"Oh, do sit up, Lord Black," said Prince Charles with a large grin. "One would think you're having _way_ too much fun."

Sirius sat up with a grin and admitted, "I was, Sir. I'm just glad those awful lessons in 'acting the noble' I had to go through as a child could be put to good use."

"You, too?" asked the Prince leaning forward. "Were they as horrid for you as they were for me?"

Leaning forward himself, almost conspiratorially, Sirius replied, "Dreadfully so. I spent as much time as possible trying to hide from my tutor. When I wasn't trying to prank her, of course."

"Lord Black!" interrupted Augusta. "I will _not_ have you corrupt and turn our future king into another of your Marauders!"

Sirius sighed and said, "Sometimes, you can be a spoilsport, _Minister_ Longbottom."

Augusta looked a little startled over the first use of her official title.

"Marauder?" asked Her Majesty.

Gathering her wits, Augusta replied, "Lord Black was a member of a group of four who, during their Hogwarts years, spent more time pranking - that is, pulling practical jokes on - their fellow students and the staff than they did on their studies, Ma'am. It's surprising they even managed to graduate!"

"Hey!" said Sirius in protest. "Remembering those pranks, and that I was innocent of course, was what helped me stay sane while I whiled away the days in Azkaban."

Perhaps noticing an uncomfortable place in the conversation, the Queen looked at the Grangers and said, "I believe congratulations are in order for the two of you. Becoming magicals must have been quite the shock."

"Errr... Yes, Ma'am," said Dan. "We've been informed it's probably permanent. We'll have a better idea when we attend St Mungo's hospital and they put us through their body scanning machine."

"A positive happenstance, then," said the Queen.

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Dan.

Turning to look at Hermione and Susan, She said, "And I'm pleased to inform, you two, that Our legal department have gone over your recommendations and made very few changes to them. As a team, they feel the pair of you have done a brilliant job with what you've gone through. You've also managed to drag them back on track, from where they'd wandered off for a while, and just look at the overviews rather than the gritty details."

"Thank you, Ma'am," the girls chorused.

"Our legal teams," continued the Queen, "are no longer looking at making alterations to _all_ the so-called laws. Instead, they've recognised your approach and have adopted it, themselves. Any law that goes beyond about thirty percent requiring change will simply be overturned until a new law can be enacted.

"They've also asked you to continue what you're doing, as it's making their own jobs that much simpler and faster."

"Yes, Ma'am," they chorused.

"Nevertheless," the Queen continued, "the sheer amount of work set before you is astounding. I have no doubt you will be dealing with it for years. But I need the government of magical Britain, this Wizengamot, fixed as soon as possible."

"Ah!" said Harry. "We've been working on that, Ma'am."

"Be fair, Harry," said Neville, piping in. "What _you've_ done is astounding. We've just been sounding boards."

"My Lord Potter?" asked the Queen. "Just what is it you've done?"

Feeling a little uncomfortable, Harry replied, "I've laid out an idea to replace the Wizengamot with something I see as being far fairer."

"We see," see the Queen.

"I remember your requirement of me, of us, to fix the magical world and rid it of sedition," explained Harry. "I thought how it could be done and borrowed from the mundane Houses of Lords and Commons. It's going to create an uproar but, I figure, sometimes it's better to _rip_ the band-aid off rather than gently _ease_ it off.

"I wanted to organise it in such a way that existing Lords and Ladies that sit upon that body aren't suddenly... 'dis-ennobled'... but also gave the common folk the chance to have their voices heard and recognised.

"This way, the pain of the... ructions... will be over in one fell swoop, and the government can get on with the business of running the magical community."

"That is definitely something We want to learn more about, My Lord," said the Queen.

"Show her your notes, Harry," said Susan. "They're very good."

"I've left them on the coffee table in our common room," he said. "One second."

He turned his head slightly to alongside where he was sitting. "Dobby!" he called.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Haa... oh, crap!" the elf started to say before he noticed the Queen and dropped to his knees and forehead in a posture of abject abasement.

"Dobby is _sooo_ sorry, Majesty lady, Ma'am," he grovelled. "Dobby didn't know the wise and powerful wizard Master Harry Potter Sir was meeting with the Queen!"

Startled for a moment, the Queen said, "Rise... Dobby."

Dobby slowly stood, shaking like a leaf.

"Dobby," said Harry gently. "You're not in trouble. Please, try to relax a little."

Dobby looked fearfully from the Queen to Harry and back again. But, at least, his trembling diminished.

The Queen looked on, quite astonished by the sight of the little house elf.

"Dobby," Harry called the elf's attention to him. "We left on our owners' common room coffee table a stack of parchment I had written upon. Would you mind getting them for me?"

Dobby nodded his head once and disappeared with a slight pop. He was back a moment later. The parchment appeared on the coffee table in a neat stack in front of Harry.

"My Lord Potter," asked the Queen. "Is this the little being who masqueraded as you within your relatives' home?"

Dobby was staring back at her, still quivering a little.

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry. "This is Dobby. A house elf. He wants nothing more than to serve people. When I tried to set him free, it greatly upset him. When I tried to otherwise reward him, it also upset him."

"D...Dobby is _very_ happy serving the great and powerful Master Harry Potter Sir, Majesty Ma'am," Dobby said tremulously. "Master Harry Potter Sir is a _wonderful_ and wise master."

"And absolutely devoted, We see," said the Queen as an aside to Harry. Turn to face Dobby she gently said to the elf, "Come forward, Dobby."

Dobby slowly approached the Queen until he stood just in front of her knee.

She reached down and lightly placed a hand on Dobby's shoulder, and said, "You have Our personal thanks, Dobby, house elf of Harry James Potter."

The little elf burst into tears. "Majesty lady is _kind_ to Dobby. Dobby is _very_ happy, Majesty!" Then he popped away.

Sirius snorted and said, "I've said it before, but I'll say it again. _That_ is one _loyal_ house elf."

Harry blushed and said, "I _tried_ to give him a promotion to just being my correspondence secretary. I've tried to make his life easier for him. He thought I was punishing him."

"A most unusual being," said Her Majesty still a little surprised by Dobby and his behaviour.

Harry gave himself a little shake, picked up the parchments off the coffee table, checked through them and made sure they were in some semblance of order, and handed them to the Queen. "This is my vision for redesigning the Wizengamot, Ma'am."

The Queen took the documents, quickly read through them with the same speed reading skills she demonstrated back in early July, and passed each sheet off to Prince Charles as she finished with it.

"This idea pleases Us, My Lord," she said as she finished and passed the last sheet to her son.

The Prince finished with them and, with a somewhat surprised expression on his face, passed the entirety of it to Sir Kingston. Sir Kingston then browsed through them. His own eyes rising in surprise at what he'd read.

"To accomplish it, I'll need the services of your Royal Wizard, Sir Kingston," said Harry. "With him, if we five walk into the Wizengamot chamber, the current members who _then_ arrive will receive a rude shock.

"On the few occasions I've been there, I've seen there appears no one who truly understands the magic of the chamber. People buy their own purple robes with the silver W embroidered on them. None of their robes properly displays their House crests. None of the House seats displays the House crest, as they should, when they sit upon them. During voting they all use their wands to signify their vote, rather than the arms of their seats. The Orb or Authority is not displayed. Hell, the _well_ for the Orb of Authority is located under a bolted down chair!"

"Sorry, Lord Slytherin," said Augusta leaning forward. "Amongst other things you said, 'Orb of Authority'?"

Harry smiled and said, "Much of the magics, and what can be done in that chamber, have been forgotten by the current... inhabitants. We're going to resurrect that knowledge. In so doing, no one can question our right to be there. And no one will be able to question Her Majesty's right to stamp her authority on the chamber."

Not long afterwards the conversation broke up when the Queen announced she had another engagement to attend. Her final words to Harry were, "Get it done, My Lord Potter."

Harry had the Royal Wizard join them in flooing back to Hogwarts she he could be keyed in to access the castle.

The Royal Wizard, Sir Kingston, though he wanted to have a look around his old magical alma mater, had to return to the palace so he could reset the wards. He promised to make time at another opportunity.

Augusta and Amelia also headed off almost immediately. Both were headed for the Ministry. With their Royal appointments in their hands Harry thought both looked like women on missions. Before they left, he offered the services of the four heirs to draft up the media releases for them. He received a kiss on the cheek from both older witches. But, they said they had it in hand.

# # #

After Augusta and Amelia left, and Sirius took his leave to attend a final class before school wrapped up for the day, Harry was wondering what to do. He didn't think he'd be anywhere but incarcerated by now. It was an odd feeling.

Neville had left to go talk to Madam Sprout about plans for the school vegetable farm, and the girls were once more engrossed in the laws of the land. The Grangers were with them but would soon be leaving for their own home. This afternoon was when the scheduled appointment for having their home connected to the floo network and they needed to be there for it.

Harry decided to go a-wandering,instead. He did not believe he would be free, so the chance to stretch his legs was a wonderful feeling.

He wandered all over the castle. He visited each of the House common rooms, getting odd looks in each as he looked around.

In Hufflepuff he was approached by a slender Seventh Year with bubblegum pink hair, "Hello, cousin," she said.

Harry warmly smiled and replied, "Hello, Tonks."

She came up to him and wrapped him a hug. "It's good to see you!" she said.

"And you," he replied. "I'm glad Sirius brought you back into the family."

She shrugged and said, "As I'd never been in the Black family before, as Mum was kicked out before I was born, it didn't mean as much to me as it did to Mum. Mind you, Dad's over the moon, too; at least, for Mum."

"Still, Sirius needs pleasant family around him as much as I do," he said. "I'm sure your parents, and you, will be good for him."

"And what about you... Harry?" she tentatively asked.

Smiling, he replied, "I'd like to get to know you, too."

That earned him another hug.

Harry left feeling a little conflicted. He hadn't had anyone treat him as 'just' Harry before.

# # #

The next morning the Hall was, again, configured as a conference centre. This time, there was even more people than three days earlier.

Most of the questions were aimed at Harry. But, as the four knew this was going to happen, they took turns answering the questions when they could. One question to the Grangers was along the lines of if they were feeling any ill-effects from being blasted with pure magic. Both simply answered, "No." And no further questions were directed their way.

They received the expected questions.

"Is Voldemort really gone for good?"

"Yes."

"Did you know all the Death Eaters were going to die, as well?"

No."

"Do you regret that?"

"I regret not knowing Voldemort was stealing their magic for himself as I was trying to destroy him for good."

"Did you know Dumbledore had created a soul anchor?"

"Not until Tom told me."

"Will you now kill Dumbledore for what he's done?"

"Whether or not Dark Wizard Dumbledore dies for his crimes is not my decision to make."

"Do you know what happened to his phoenix, Fawkes?"

"The phoenix he called Fawkes and enslaved to himself is really named Polaris. Polaris has bonded to another."

"Do you know who he has bonded with?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

Hermione looked up and Polaris flashed in just above the journalists. He banked around the room and swooped in to land on Hermione's shoulder."Does this answer your question?" she asked.

Then came, from a minor journalist from the _Daily Prophet_, one of the big questions. "Do you believe you should be awarded the Order of Merlin for finally ridding us of the Dark Lord?"

Harry replied, "Firstly, to the second part of your question, I did not rid you of a Dark Lord. I _utterly_ destroyed the Dark Wizard Tom Riddle, who self-styled himself a Dark Lord. You should not believe his lies. He will _never_ be able to return, not even on his 'next great adventure', as people like to say, because I eradicated the man from all existence. Then I unmasked the _other_ dark wizard in our midst, Dark Wizard Dumbledore.

"To the first part of your question, it is not for me to say whether or not I should be awarded the Order of Merlin. All such awards, and to whom they are given, are Her Majesty's decision _only_."

"Do you now consider yourself to be the 'Leader of the Light'?"

"No," replied Harry. "That is _clearly_ Lady Ravenclaw, here," he said, indicating Hermione and Polaris.

"Should Dumbledore be held accountable for his crimes?" another asked.

Susan snapped, "If ever there was a _stupid_ question a _supposed_ journalist could ask, that was it. Dark Wizard Dumbledore is currently being held by the Aurors on _at least_ one count of murder of a defenceless minor, a young girl who was one of his students here at Hogwarts; that's infanticide, folks. We have left the matter in the capable hands of Chief Justice Bones."

"Do you want to see him kissed?"

"We want to see him face trial for his crimes. Those who attempt to block him having a trial are, we believe to be, _clearly_ in collusion and accessories to the crime of _murder_ after the fact."

From out of the blue came, "Do you know where Minister Fudge is?"

Susan responded, "If you mean _Mister_ Fudge, no. Her Majesty fired his butt for, amongst other things, _illegally_ obliviating Prime Minister John Major on multiple counts, the man he was _supposed_ to be reporting to. Her Majesty, _as is her right_ as Sovereign of the United Kingdom, appointed Madam Augusta Longbottom, current Proxy for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom, to the position of Minister for Magic in Prime Minister Major's Cabinet.

"You should address your questions regarding her appointment to this prestigious position direct to _Minister_ Longbottom's offices."

"Undersecretary Umbridge has also disappeared. What about her?"

Neville replied, "Dolores Umbridge attempted to commit _regicide_; that is, _assassinate_ our Sovereign. She was _shot dead_ in the attempt."

Uproar.

"Madam Umbridge was a _pureblood_! How _dare_ your Queen..." one of the attendees tried to say.

Neville rode straight him. "Dolores Umbridge refused to accept Her Majesty had authority over her, just as she has authority over you! She paid the price for both her ignorance and stupidity with her life. She was a traitor to the Crown and died because of it!"

Another journalist, attempting to bring the topics back under control, asked, "My research indicates you've not yet taken your seats on the Wizengamot. Why haven't you taken your seats?"

"We will take them when we're good and ready," snapped Hermione. "It is _House_ business and not for you to ask."

No other journalist wanted to feel the ire of the four most powerful Lords and Ladies in front of them after that. The conference broke up very soon afterwards.

# # #

On the following Sunday, just after breakfast in the Great Hall, the four heirs, the Grangers - who had returned home a few days earlier - and Sirius met Sir Kingston in the owners' common room. As soon as he arrived, they floo'ed directly to the Ministry. They were expected by no one except Chief Justice Bones and Minister Longbottom. They were met by those two, plus a small contingent of a dozen Aurors, and the scribe who normally took the minutes during Wizengamot meetings. He had been sworn to secrecy and had with him the new Book of Minutes.

From the Atrium they walked directly to the empty Wizengamot chamber. The dozen Aurors were told to wait outside.

Once inside, all bar the Grangers, the four heirs and the Royal Wizard stood at the back of the floor against the visitor's gallery. The Grangers ascended the stairs into the Visitors Gallery and took seats. The four heirs stood directly behind the accused's chair with its chains.

The four then held out their right hands, palms down and flat, over the seat of the chair. And pushed with the magics of the rings. The wooden disk that formed the central core of the wooden floor shimmered and disappeared from directly under the seat leaving a circular opening.

A glowing orb of golden light, about six inches in diameter, rose on a narrow golden pedestal from within the opening. It rose steadily from the hole, reached the underside of the seat of the chair, and pushed right through it, splintering and shattering the wood as it came.

When the glowing orb reached a height almost chest high on the four heirs, it stopped its ascension, and dimmed. The four heirs removed their hands from hovering above it. Still softly glowing**, **the orb revealed the imprint of a right open hand on its surface.

Harry banished the remains of the accused's chair.

Sir Kingston stepped forward and placed his right hand upon the imprint. He said, "I, Sir Kingston Davies, Royal Wizard to the court of Her Majesty, Elizabeth the Second, Head of the Royal and Elder House of Windsor, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, hereby swear allegiance to the Crown and claim my rightful place in this august chamber until otherwise relieved. So mote it be!"

The orb flashed once, quite brightly and a light gong sounded. A ring with the Royal crest overshadowed by crossed wands appeared on Sir Kingston's right ring finger. Without moving his hand, Sir Kingston glanced down at it, quite pleased.

As the glow on the orb steadied, a sound could be heard coming from deep within the floor under the middle seats of the Wizengamot. And the tiers split right down the middle along a seamless join. The two halves began to move apart. As they pulled apart, the tiers pivoted slightly making the gap at the rear open further and faster than the gap at the front. The two halves appeared to be pivoting slightly towards each other at the original ends. The back wall was also sliding backwards to make room as the two halves drifted apart.

When the two halves finally stopped moving, there was a gap of about fifteen feet between chairs that were sitting either side of the gap on the top tier. And the gap was about a good deal narrower at the front tier. A few moments after the two halves stopped moving, there rose a complete new section of tiers to fill the gap.

First appearing out of the hole was the chair back of an ornate golden throne. Above the headrest was an ornate embossed crown. As the throne rose directly below the crown and upon the headrest, could be seen the Royal crest. The throne was soon joined, two to each side, and slightly forward, by four other ornate chair backs. On the headrest of those where the four crests of the Houses of Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.

The five chairs continued to rise, seemingly majestically, from under the floor. When they finally stopped rising they stood slightly above the other seats of the Wizengamot, with the centre throne the highest of them all. The two halves of the original tiers of the Wizengamot then began to close onto the new section. They only needed to move about an inch at the front, and about three inches at the rear until the whole thing formed a seamless join.

Sir Kingston smiled at the four heirs, walked up the stairs directly in front of the throne, and seated himself upon it. The trim on the seat flashed once as he sat and his robes changed to red acromantulan silk with a silver 'W' embroidered high on his left breast. Directly beneath it appeared the Royal Crest of Her Majesty.

He placed his wand in the slot on the arm of his chair and clicked it into place. "By Royal Decree of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, I declare the Wizengamot of magical Britain, as a body, defunct in its responsibilities and duties. All seated members to this day are hereby stripped of their authority to take seat within these tiers. Chamber, please remove all other seating bar my own and the Houses of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw."

All other seating, bar the five, were banished.

"Now to rebuild," he said. "Place to my left forty-six unmarked seats ready to be adopted by the other Noble Houses."

The room stretched back further as the blank seats appeared on the tiers to Sir Kingston's left.

"Place to my left one seat for the Lady Chief Justice."

An extra seat appeared on the left hand end of the five, already marked on the headrest with the thistle badge of the Supreme Court. While the others were plain black, this one was trimmed in deep crimson velvet.

"Place to my left upon the end of the bottom tier, one seat with a desk for the appointed Scribes."

A slightly smaller seat without the high back appeared at the end of the bottom tier. In front of it appeared the desk for the scribes to use when taking minutes.

"Place to my right fifty unmarked seats ready to be adopted by elected Members."

Fifty seats appeared on the empty tiers.

"Have those seats draped until such time as an election is held for fifty citizens of the magical United Kingdom to be selected to take those seats as representatives of the people."

The seats were covered in their entirety with black cloth.

"Place to my right one seat for the Minister for Magic."

An extra seat appeared on the right hand of the five, already marked on the headrest with the Royal Coat of Arms as used by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This one was trimmed in deep green velvet matching the crimson for Chief Justice.

"Place to my right upon the end of the bottom tier, one seat with a desk for the Master at Arms."

A slightly smaller seat without the high back appeared at the end of the bottom tier. In front of it appeared the desk for the Master at Arms to use.

Looking back and down at the others as they looked around at what Sir Kingston had wrought, he said, "Okay, folks, I think we're ready."

Amelia stepped forward and drew from the folder in her hand the oath the scribe would take for taking the minutes and caring for the Book of Minutes.

She then called the scribe and had him place his hand on the orb. He did so, tremulously. Then she held the words of the oath for him to read.

He said, "I, Winston Gilbert Weatherby, swear on my honour, I will faithfully execute my duties in this chamber to the best of my ability and my conscience. So mote it be!"

The orb flashed once but no sound of a gong was heard. Amelia then guided him forward to take his seat at the Scribe's table. He placed his book upon the table and took his seat. His robes changed to deep black with a brace of crossed quills over his right breast embroidered in silver. Before him appeared a set of self-inking quills as the book automatically opened to the first page.

"Sir Kingston looked down and across at him and said, "Scribe. The Wizengamot is no more. This will be the first meeting of the Magical Parliament of the magical United Kingdom. Please write your minutes accordingly."

The scribe, though clearly a little fearful, replied, "Yes, Sir," before starting an auto-quill running and beginning to write in the new Book.

The silver 'W' on Sir Kingston's robes then altered itself to the letter 'P' in the same styling. Harry wondered if he'd even noticed.

Sir Kingston then said, "I, Sir Kingston Davies, Royal Wizard, now call upon the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses to give their oaths and take their seats."

Neville then stepped forward and placed his hand upon the softly glowing orb. He said, "I, Neville Francis Longbottom, Earl Gryffindor, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and another light gong sound. Neville walked forward, up the stairs and took his seat. The trim on his chair flashed once a moment after he sat. His robes changed to purple acromantulan silk with a silver 'P' embroidered high on his left breast. Directly beneath it appeared the crest of the House of Gryffindor. Neville then dropped his own wand into the receptacle for it.

Susan then stepped forward and placed her hand upon the orb. She said, "I, Susan Charity Bones, Countess Hufflepuff, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Hufflepuff, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and another light gong sound. Susan walked forward, up the stairs and took her seat. The trim on her chair flashed once a moment after she sat. Her robes changed to purple acromantulan silk with a silver 'P' embroidered high on her left breast. Directly beneath it appeared the crest of the House of Hufflepuff. She dropped her wand into the receptacle for it.

Hermione then stepped forward and placed her hand upon the orb. She said, "I, Hermione Jean Granger, Countess Ravenclaw, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and another light gong sound. Hermione walked forward, up the stairs and took her seat. The trim on her chair flashed once a moment after she sat. Her robes changed to purple acromantulan silk with a silver 'P' embroidered high on her left breast. Directly beneath it appeared the crest of the House of Ravenclaw. She dropped her wand into the receptacle for it.

Harry then stepped forward and placed his hand upon the orb. He said, "I, Harry James Potter, Earl Slytherin, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

He, however, did not ascend the stairs to take his seat. Instead, he accepted from Amelia a file containing various oaths in template form when she stepped forward. He withdrew from it the oath for the Chief Justice.

He held the file with the parchment on top where Amelia could read it.

Sir Kingston then said, "I now call on the Lady Chief Justice to give her oath and, when ready, take her seat."

She placed her hand upon the orb and said, "I Amelia Susan Bones, Chief Justice of the magical United Kingdom, swear on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law, to provide wise counsel when asked, to deliberate with fairness when serving as judge, within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and another light gong sound.

Instead of walking forward, up the stairs and taking her seat, she stepped back and took the file from Harry.

Harry walked forward, up the chairs and took his seat. The trim on his chair flashed once a moment after he sat. His robes changed to purple acromantulan silk with a silver 'P' embroidered high on his left breast. Directly beneath it appeared the crest of the House of Slytherin. He dropped his wand into the receptacle for it.

Sir Kingston then said, "I now call on the Lady Minister to give her oath and take her seat."

Augusta stepped forward. Amelia already had the relevant parchment ready and held for her to read.

Augusta placed her hand upon the orb and said, "I Augusta Longbottom, Minister for Magic of the United Kingdom, swear on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law, to provide wise counsel when asked, and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and another light gong sound.

Augusta walked forward, up the chairs and took her seat. The trim on her chair flashed once a moment after she sat. Her robes changed to black acromantulan silk with a silver 'P' embroidered high on her left breast. Directly beneath it appeared the crest of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. She dropped her wand into the receptacle for it.

Sir Kingston said, "I now call on the Noble and Most Ancient Houses in attendance to give their oath and take their seats."

Sirius then stepped forward and placed his hand upon the orb. He said, "I, Sirius Orion Black, Lord Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, swear on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Harry, Neville and Susan stood and stepped down from their seats, back onto the floor as Sirius gave his oath.

Another flash of the orb and another light gong sound. Sirius walked forward, up the stairs and took one of the blank seats near Harry. The trim on his chair flashed once a moment after he sat. The crest of the House of Black appeared on the headrest above his head, trimmed in red. His robes changed to purple acromantulan silk with a silver 'P' embroidered high on his left breast. Directly beneath it appeared the crest of the House of Black. He dropped his wand into the receptacle that appeared for it.

Each one the three heirs gave the same oaths as Sirius before re-ascending. None of them, however, took their own familial House seats.

Once the three finally settled in their seats, Sir Kingston said to Amelia, "Okay, Lady Chief Justice, please summon your Aurors into this chamber so they may act as... security against the rebelliousness to which we are about to be subjected."

'Let the fun, begin!' thought Harry.

# # #

The Aurors were called inside and looked around in wonder. Not one of them had never been in the chamber before. None of them had seen the orb before, nor had any of them seen the seats Sir Kingston and the four heirs were sitting upon, or the opening and stairs leading up from the middle. They realised something big was in the wind as they saw Amelia standing next to the softly glowing orb on its gold pedestal. Only two noticed the accused's chair was missing.

"Aurors," said Amelia. "By order of the Crown, the Wizengamot has been made defunct and has been disbanded. We will shortly be summoning the members of the now disbanded Wizengamot so that selected Lords and Ladies may take their seats. Those who sat upon these tiers as Regents will have to prove their regencies first. Those who only sat upon these tiers as Proxies will not be allowed to be seated until their positions are confirmed by the rightful Lords and Ladies."

She fixed the twelve of them with a firm glare, "You are to direct all Members to seats within the Visitors Gallery. If anyone attempts to take seat within the tiers of the Wizengamot, you are to bar them from doing so. If they attempt to resist, you are to force their compliance. If necessary you will use the Incarcerous Charm upon them and Mobilicorpus them into seats in the Visitors Gallery.

"Only when Sir Kingston, the Royal Wizard," Amelia indicated Sir Kingston, "calls them forward to the orb here," she indicated the orb, "will they be allowed to stay on the floor. Only until they have given their oath when called upon to do so, may they then approach and ascend the stairs into the tiers of the new Wizengamot; the new Magical _Parliament_. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

Amelia received a dozen stunned, "Yes, Ma'am," from the twelve.

She then directed two to go into the chamber where the Members normally gathered before being called in to take their seats. They were told to immediately direct all arriving persons into the chamber.

She also placed one each at the three sets of stairs leading up off the floor into the tiers. These were the three biggest and fittest Aurors she had. They were to not permit anyone ascending the stairs who had not already sworn oath upon the orb first.

Two more she placed at the two sets of stairs leading into the Visitor's Gallery. Once people ascended those stairs they were not permitted to descend them until they were either called or wished to leave the chamber.

Two more she placed at the main doors to the chamber. They were to ensure anyone who had been ejected from the chamber were not able to re-enter.

The last three she held with her. They would be sent to collect anyone summoned to attend who did not receive the alert, or sent in support of the others.

Once she had the aurors where she wanted them, she looked up at the Royal Wizard and said, "We're ready, Sir Kingston."

Sir Kingston nodded and, placing his hand on his armrest while pushing down on the butt of his wand in its receptacle called, "I summon the Heads of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses to this chamber. Your presence is required immediately in the now defunct Wizengamot chamber."

Harry, Neville, Susan and Sirius all felt the rings on their fingers buzz and saw the crests on them intermittently flash. When they pressed on the crest they each clearly heard the voice of Sir Kingston in their minds.

"Well, that worked," remarked Harry. "I had somewhat believed it would, but wasn't sure until just then."

Sir Kingston looked across at him and smiled. "It's nice when a plan comes together, isn't it?"

No one else got the reference, except the Grangers and one of the aurors.

As the Lords and, in one case, Lady of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses arrived in the Member's antechamber they were sent to the Visitors Gallery. Three of the Lords made a bit of a ruckus but the aurors were firm in their handling of them.

Once they were seated in the Visitors Gallery, Sir Kingston addressed them. "By order of Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, Head of the Royal and Elder House of Windsor, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, the Wizengamot was found defunct and disbanded."

That received angry mutterings from the gathered Lords and Lady. Sir Kingston and the others seated ignored them.

Once they had quieted down Sir Kingston addressed them a second time. "Also by order of Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, Head of the Royal and Elder House of Windsor, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, the First sitting of the Magical Parliament of the magical United Kingdom has been called.

"When you hear the name of your House called, you will step down, approach the orb and give your oath to be seated. Lady Justice Bones will have the words of your oath for you to read. Please follow her instructions. Once you have made your oath you may take seat in a vacant seat to my left."

Using his own set of notes on parchment, Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Greengrass, please come forward."

Amelia looked up at Cygnus Greengrass and encouraged him to come forward. She already had the relevant oath ready for him. A tap of her wand had changed the relevant details on the document.

He came down from the Gallery and walked up to the orb. Amelia whispered to him and he looked at her with not a little surprise. He placed his hand on the orb and gave the oath.

The orb flashed, and Sir Kingston said, "Come forward Lord Greengrass of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Greengrass, and be seated among your peers.

Amelia whispered to him again and he found a seat next to Sirius. They then engaged in a whispered conversation.

Sir Kingston then called the next down. "The Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom, please come forward."

Harry sat forward in surprise and flicked his head to look at Neville. Neville just grinned back.

From the doors leading outside Frank and Alice Longbottom came through. Both were in wheelchairs but were sitting up proudly. They were brought in by medi-witch attendees. Alice was set just in front of the Visitors Gallery while Frank was wheeled up to the orb.

Neville popped his wand, stood in his place, and said with clear confidence, "Sir Kingston, if I may?"

"Lord Gryffindor," replied Sir Kingston, clearly expecting the interruption. Harry frowned at him. He had the feeling he'd been set up with a mini-prank.

Neville lifted his wand held out from his chest and intoned, "I Neville Francis Longbottom, Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom, hereby relinquish my claim to the Lordship of House Longbottom to the rightful Lord Longbottom, my father, Francis Monroe Longbottom. So mote it be!" A flash on his ring finger signalled his loss of the Lord's ring for the House of Longbottom. He sat down and re-sheathed his wand in its receptacle.

Frank then placed his hand on the orb and intoned in a somewhat scratchy voice, "I Francis Monroe Longbottom, hereby claim my Lordship of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom. So mote it be!" A flash on his ring finger signalled his gaining the Lord's ring for the House of Longbottom. He lowered his hand.

Sir Kingston then said, "I again call the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom, please come forward."

Following the instructions from Amelia, Frank gave the same oath as Cygnus before him.

As soon as the orb flashed, Sir Kingston said down to him, "Lord Longbottom, at this time you may take your seat or name a Proxy in your stead. Which would you prefer?"

Frank looked back and said in as clear a voice as he could, "I wouldn't miss this for the world! I'll take my seat at this time, thank you."

Sir Kingston said, "Then, come forward Lord Longbottom of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom, and be seated among your peers.

Harry noticed a quick whispered conversation between Sirius and Cygnus as Frank was wheeled to the stairs leading up into the tiers. Both men rose from their seats and hurried forward.

As Frank reached the foot of the stairs the medi-witch who was pushing him flipped the foot rests out of the way. Cygnus and Sirius then helped him to his seat before assisting him up the stairs to a seat next to where they were sitting. Cygnus popped his wand out of his seat and sat Frank in it. None of the three noticed the house crest for the House of Greengrass fade out before it was replaced by the crest for the House of Longbottom, and the seat flashed once.

When Cygnus took the next seat along and holstered his wand in it his house crest appeared there and flashed once. On the second flash he noticed with surprise his house crest had moved to his new seat.

Sir Kingston had also summoned the Noble and Ancient Houses, the Noble and Elder Houses and the Magical House of Malfoy while Frank was being assisted to a seat.

He then called the next House, MacMillan, forward. Each then came forward in order of Marchbanks, Ogden and Smith. Each also gave the oath. Each was summoned forward to join their peers.

The Noble and Ancient Houses had begun to arrive and they were forced to wait in the antechamber. That left three people in the Visitors Gallery who shouldn't have been there.

Sir Kingston called on all three to stand. "And who might you be?" he asked pointing at the first person.

"Arnold Peasegood. Proxy for the Potter seat."

Harry just snorted.

Turning to look at him, Sir Kingston asked, "Lord Slytherin, do you name this man as your proxy for the Seat of House Potter?"

Harry stood and said, "No, Sir; I do not. I have never met this man _in my life_!" And he sat down again.

Peasegood spluttered in indignation.

Sir Kingston turned to look at him and said, "Then, it appears, Sir, your appearance here is in error. Leave."

Peasegood spluttered and said, "Albus Dumbledore gave me that seat! By what..."

"_Aurors!_" barked Sir Kingston. That shut Peasgood up.

"_Escort_ this man from this chamber," instructed the Royal Wizard. "If he _attempts_ to resist. _Don't_ be gentle!"

Mister Peasegood turned and stomped out of the chamber through the main doors. Harry wondered how he'd heard the call through the rings as he didn't appear to be wearing one.

Indicating the next man he asked "And who might you be?"

"Phinneas Ackerley, Proxy for the Seat of House Black."

"No, he's not," said Sirius.

"Lord Black, please," remonstrated the Royal Wizard.

Sirius didn't even look abashed.

"It appears you, also, are in error, Mister Ackerley. Leave."

He, too, stomped out of the chamber muttering sulphurously.

Sir Kingston turned to the third person and asked, "And you, Sir?"

"Damien Goldstein, Proxy for the House of Stebbins, Sir."

"The House of Stebbins is an Noble and Ancient House, sir," said Sir Kingston referring to his notes. "We have not called on those seats yet. Please place yourself back into the Visitors Gallery until the Head of the House for that seat is called. After that you may be invited to give your oath."

Mister Goldstein gave a minor shrug and climbed back up the stairs into the Visitors Gallery.

Sir Kingston called, "Please bring forward the Noble and Ancient Houses, Noble and Elder Houses and the Magical House of Malfoy."

Many of those who came in representing the Ancient and Elder Houses also muttered darkly about being stopped from taking what they believed their seats to be. Some, however, noticed the major change to the layout as soon as they could see it. They were clearly stunned. Very quickly, they all did.

Once again, Sir Kingston stood and made his announcement over the disbanding of the Wizengamot and the forming of the Magical Parliament.

Again, there were mutterings of discontent and outright cries of denial and outrage.

Once they'd settled down, with the aurors threatening to toss people out if they _didn't_ quiet down, Sir Kingston then gave them the same instructions as before and started calling them forward.

Again referring to his own set of notes on parchment, Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Avery, please come forward."

A man stepped down and approached the orb. Amelia frowned at him as he came down. There was a bit of a heated sub voce argument between the two before Sir Kingston asked, "Is there a problem, Lady Justice?"

Amelia looked up and said, "This man, Mister Alastor Gumboil, claims Proxy for the House of Avery, Sir Kingston."

"And, where is Lord Avery?" asked Sir Kingston.

"Dead, Sir." she replied firmly.

"Then, he cannot be his proxy, can he?" said Sir Kingston firmly. "Summon the late Lord Avery's heir." And turning to Gumboil said, "And you, Sir, can leave."

"Arrrgghh!" snarled Mister Gumboil. "This is ridiculous! I was appointed to the Seat by the Wizengamot!"

"Were you not _listening_, man?" snapped Sir Kingston. "The Wizengamot is _no more_! Her Majesty, _as is her right_ as Sovereign, _disbanded_ it! Now, _get out_ unless and until you can present papers signed by the current Lord or Lady Avery authorising you to be his or her proxy! And _that_ won't be accepted until such time as the current Lord of Lady Avery has presented him- or herself to this body and sworn their oath first!"

"We'll see about this!" snarled the man storming out of the chamber.

Watching the Royal Wizard at work, Harry had to hand it to the man. Two months ago he _never_ would have believed Sir Kingston Davies had the backbone to do this job. Now, he had backbone to spare. A mundane-born snarling down on the purebloods. Having the total support and backing of the Queen behind him had done wonders to supplying stiffening to his spine.

"If there are any others of you up there claiming proxies you may as well leave now. The only exemption will be if you're accompanying the current Lord or Lady Head of the House. Otherwise you're just wasting mine, and everybody else's, time," said Sir Kingston to the crowd in the Visitor's Gallery.

With the exception of three people, the rest left. Shouting imprecations and otherwise cursing.

After they left, Sir Kingston once more cast his eyes to Amelia. "Lady Justice, has the heir of the House of Avery been summoned?"

"No, Sir," she replied. "At this time, it appears the Noble and Ancient House of Avery has no heir."

"Very well," he said. "Then we shall mark the House as currently having no Head and remove it from the rolls until and unless an heir can be found."

Again referring to his own set of notes, Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Crabbe, please come forward."

Amelia looked up, saw no one coming down, and said, "Regulus Crabbe was the Lord and Head of the House, Sir, he recently died. I believe his eleven year old son, Vincent, is his heir."

"Does young Mister Crabbe have a regent or magical guardian?"

"His mother is alive, Sir," she replied.

"Very well. Summon them both!" he ordered.

Amelia sent off a couple of her Aurors.

Again referring to his own set of notes, Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Goyle, please come forward."

Amelia again looked up, saw no one coming down, and said, "Same, Sir. Olam Goyle was the Lord and Head of the House. He, too, recently died. I believe his eleven year old son, Vincent, is his heir."

"Then same as with the House of Crabbe, Lady Justice," he said, "Get them in here."

"Yes, Sir. However, I will need to call more Aurors in first to then send them out."

"Noted, Lady Justice," he said.

"Let's try this one," he continued. "The Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Mulciber, please come forward."

Bevis Mulciber stepped down out of the Visitors Gallery and approached Amelia. Harry could see she was as surprised as _he_ was that the man was still alive. Harry was sure he was a marked Death Eater. Thinking about it, he realised the man didn't become such until Riddle was reborn in 1995.

Mulciber was also arguing with Amelia.

"Do we have another problem?" asked Sir Kingston.

"I will not give this oath and you cannot force me to!" snarled Mulciber.

"You are, of course, correct, Sir," responded Sir Kingston. "If you are not willing to give the oath then name your heir."

Frowning, Mulciber glared back and asked, "Why?"

"Because," replied Sir Kingston, "if he is willing to give the oath where you are not, then I will _strip_ you of your Lordship and Head of House position and grant it to him or her."

"_What?_" exclaimed Mulciber, "You _can't_ do that!"

"Her Majesty has granted me both the permission and fiat to do _exactly_ that, Sir," snapped back the Royal Wizard. "Now, give the oath or name... your... heir!"

"And if I refuse?" huffed Mulciber.

"Idiot!" Harry heard Hermione mutter. He grinned back at her.

"This should be interesting," he whispered to her.

"Then I will act," replied Sir Kingston.

"Then I refuse!" huffed Mulciber again crossing his arms.

Harry knew there was going to be a first to do this. That was part of the careful planning they had done over the past few days.

"Very well!" said Sir Kingston. He then placed his hand back on the butt of his wand and intoned, "I, Sir Kingston Davies, Royal Wizard to the court of Her Majesty, Elizabeth the Second, Head of the Royal and Elder House of Windsor, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, under her authority, hereby _strip_ you of both the Lordship and Headship of the Noble and Ancient House of Mulciber. So mote it be!"

There was a sudden flash on the ring finger of the now ex-Lord Mulciber's finger, and the ring was gone.

"_What?_" Mulciber exclaimed when he felt the ring disappear and looked down at his hand to see it gone. "_How?_ That's _impossible_!"

There were shocked mutterings from those others gathered who didn't, until then, believe just what power Sir Kingston wielded. 'They know now,' thought Harry.

"Clearly, I can," replied Sir Kingston. "Now, _Mister_ Mulciber, who is your heir and the new Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Mulciber?"

Bevis Mulciber kept looking from his ring finger to the Royal Wizard and back again.

Hermione stood and said, "Sir Kingston, if I may?"

Looking at Hermione, Sir Kingston asked, "Lady Ravenclaw?"

"Sir Kingston," replied Hermione, "I believe _Mister_ Mulciber's heir to be his son, Caleb Mulciber, currently a student at Hogwarts; a Second Year in Slytherin House, if I recall." She sat down again.

Harry suddenly had the image of the boy in his mind. He was always somewhat aloof and wasn't one to approach him to talk.

"I see," said Sir Kingston. "Thank you, Lady Ravenclaw." Then, turning to look once more at the now ex-Lord Mulciber, he asked, "Mister Mulciber, is your son, Caleb, your heir?"

"Yes, damn you!" snarled Mulciber. "Now, give me back my ring!"

"Lady Justice," said Sir Kingston, currently ignoring the furious man on the floor, and talking to Amelia. "Please summon Caleb Mulciber from Hogwarts."

Harry ducked down off the tiers and hurried over to Amelia around and behind Mulciber. He reached into his pockets and withdrew his mirror and offered it to her. "Maybe your aurors will be better able to gather up the heirs if they're not forced to keep running from here to the apparation point to Hogwarts and back."

"Mister Mulciber," said Sir Kingston, "it is _not_ your ring for me to give back. The ring now rightfully belongs to your son, Caleb. We will wait to hear directly from him. You may step back and return to the Visitors Gallery while we await your son. Or, you will be ejected, forcibly if needed, from this chamber."

Amelia immediately understood what Harry was getting at and said, "An excellent idea, My Lord Slytherin. Thank you." She called over one of her aurors and instructed him in its use.

Bevis Mulciber stomped up the stairs to the Visitors Gallery.

As he was just starting to mount the stairs back into the tiers again, Harry saw an auror come hurrying in. He was quite puffed. He also had with him Vincent Crabbe.

Harry hesitated going back to his seat. Instead, he grabbed young Mister Goyle by the elbow and led him off to one side.

"Do you know why you are here, Vincent?" he asked.

The boy frowned and replied, "No. The aurors wouldn't tell me. I figured it had something to do with my dad." The boy hesitated for a moment before asking, "Am I in trouble?"

"No, mate," replied Harry. "You are the new Head of your House, now. As such you're about to be asked if you wish - and feel you are ready - to take up your Lordship, or to name a regent to your seat. If you believe your Mum can do the job, then nominate her for the position. But, wait until she is here and discuss it with her first, okay?"

The boy nodded and relaxed. Somewhat, assured.

Sir Kingston called out, "The Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Stebbins, please come forward."

Again, Damien Goldstein came down.

Sir Kingston said, "Mister Goldstein, it is our understanding you claim proxy for the Seat of Stebbins, is that not true?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Goldstein. "I am the properly authorised Proxy for the Seat of Stebbins."

Sir Kingston said, "Mister Goldstein, I called for the _Head_ - that is, the rightful Lord or Lady - of the House of Stebbins. How can you claim Proxy if you're also supposed to be the Head of the House?"

"Errr...," said Goldstein, "It is my understanding the Lord Stebbins is unable to attend due to ill health. As such, I stand as his Proxy."

"And just where is Lord Stebbins?" asked Sir Kingston.

"He is abed in St Mungo's," replied Goldstein.

Turning once more to Amelia, Sir Kingston said, "Lady Justice, please send someone to St Mungo's to discover why Lord Stebbins did not answer his call to this chamber. Speak to his healers, if you must. If it is discovered Lord Stebbins is, and will, be unable to carry out his duties as a member of this body, then discover for us the name of his heir. Then, bring his heir forth."

"Yes, Sir," replied Amelia.

Turning back to Goldstein, the Royal Wizard said, "Mister Goldstein, until such time as we discover, for ourselves, whether or not Lord Stebbins or, in his stead his heir, will be able to take seat in this chamber, your presence is not required. You may leave."

Without a word, Goldstein stormed out of the chamber.

Sir Kingston called out, "The Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Yaxley, please come forward."

"Dead, Sir," said Amelia. "We do not know the identity of his heir."

"Very well," said Sir Kingston.

An auror entered with a young to middle aged woman in tow. She was frowning in confusion. Vincent Crabbe saw her and called, "Mother!"

Her face brightened a little and she came across to where Harry was still standing with Vincent.

"Vincent?" she asked, the confusion still written on her face. "What is going on?"

"I'll answer that for you, if you like, Ma'am," replied Harry smoothly. "Lord Harry James Potter, at your service. I am Mister Crabbe's Head of House for Slytherin."

The lady looked at him with wide eyes of shock. "You're the one who killed... destroyed the Dark Lord!"

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry. "Please, allow me to explain what's going on."

The lady nodded.

Sir Kingston called out, "The Head of the Noble and Elder House of Abbott, please come forward."

Lord Abbott descended from the Visitors Gallery. He seemed amused, and quite pleased, with what was going on.

While Lord Charles Abbott gave his oath, was invited to, and ascended the stairs into the tiers, Harry went over in short detail what was going on and explained to both of them their options. They decided she would act as regent for the House and allow Vincent to dedicate himself to his studies until such time as he completed them. Harry also told them they could change their mind and have Vincent take up his Lordship at any time, but they couldn't go back once he did that.

Harry then said, "I believe you've made a wise decision, Vince, Ma'am. I just hope the others who will soon find themselves in the same situation, are just as wise."

Sir Kingston called out, "The Head of the Noble and Elder House of Parkinson, please come forward."

"Dead, Sir," said Amelia. "We do not know the identity of his heir. But, believe it to be his daughter, Pansy."

Harry then hurried across to Amelia and told her what they'd decided and told her Pansy was one of 'his' First Years at Hogwarts.

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Summon his heir."

Amelia gave him a nod and flipped open her mirror communicator. She said a few words before flipping it closed again.

Sir Kingston called out, "The Head of the Magical House of Malfoy, please come forward."

"Dead, Sir," said Amelia. "We know the identity of his heir. I will have someone summon him."

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Summon the heir."

Amelia again gave a nod and flipped open her communicator and said a few words.

Harry waited for her to finish her call before telling her the Crabbes were ready.

"Sir Kingston," she went on to say, having turned back to the Royal Wizard, "we have the Head and Regent of the Noble and Ancient House of Crabbe now with us."

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Have the Head step forward."

As Vincent, still a little terrified, was brought forward with a word of encouragement from Amelia - she didn't hold the children of Death Eaters responsible for the actions of their parents - Gregory Goyle, and someone who appeared to be his mother, were brought in onto the floor together.

"Adeline?" asked Gregory's mother of Vincent's mother, "What's going on?"

Adeline indicated Harry, who said, "The Wizengamot has been disbanded by Her Majesty and a new Parliament is being formed in its stead. Gregory and you have been called due to your House's noble status. Please, watch what Vincent and his mother do and I'll explain."

Vincent stepped up to the orb and placed his right hand upon it. He read from the parchment Amelia held for him, "I, Vincent Regulus Crabbe, Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Crabbe, swear allegiance to the Crown and name my Regent, my mother, Adeline Devyna Crabbe, until such time as I am ready to take up my seat in my own right within these chambers. So mote it be!"

The orb flashed and the light gong sounded.

Sir Kingston called out, "Regent for the Noble and Ancient House of Crabbe, please come forward."

Harry quickly gave the same explanations as he did to Vincent and Adeline as they were waiting. And provided the same counsel. Madam Goyle and Gregory made the same decision.

With her hand on the orb, Adeline recited, "I, Adeline Devyna Crabbe, Regent for the Noble and Ancient House of Crabbe, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

The orb flashed and the light gong sounded.

Madam Crabbe was then invited up into the tiers to take a seat. Harry suggested to Vincent he take a seat in the Visitors Gallery to watch history being made, which he did. As Regent for the seat, Adeline's crest was surrounded by a red border.

As the Goyles were about to step forward Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy and his mother entered with the auror sent to fetch them.

Another auror came hurrying in unattended. He hurried across to Amelia and whispered in her ear. Amelia frowned and nodded.

Harry called the Malfoys and Pansy across to join him against the back and under the tiers of the Visitors Gallery.

Just as Draco frowned and at Harry and was about to say something, Amelia had stepped forward to the orb, halting Gregory from placing his hand on it. Harry used the opportunity to call Sirius down. He hoped, at least, Narcissa would listen to him even if Draco wouldn't.

"Sir, Kingston," she called. "One of our aurors has returned from St Mungo'swhere they went in search of Lord Tyler Stebbins. According to his healers it appears Lord Tyler Stebbins is permanently unable to fulfil his duties on this body."

"I see," responded Sir Kingston. "In that case, summon his heir."

Amelia nodded and sent the same auror scurrying off after she gave him whispered instructions. Then she called Gregory forward again.

As Gregory and his mother gave the same oaths Harry said to Pansy and Draco, "You may not like me, Mister Malfoy, Miss Parkinson; however, I am duty bound to provide you wise counsel and advice. I have also asked Lord Black, here..." indicating Sirius, "... to join us so he may also offer his counsel. Try to listen before you decide to hurl abuse, okay?"

Again, Draco was about to say something; but, before he could, his mother growled, "Draco!"

She said to Harry and Sirius in turn, "Lord Slytherin, Lord Black, we welcome your counsel."

Another auror entered with a rather pug-faced and stern woman, who appeared furious. Harry immediately guessed she had to be Pansy's mother, Madam Parkinson, and gestured for her to join them.

Once she had, Harry went on to describe what was happening and why. He could see Draco was decidedly unhappy but at least the boy kept his mouth shut. Pansy just whined about how it was so unfair.

Sirius also reiterated Harry's counsel and supported it. He added, "You can always take the Lordship - or Ladyship in your case, Miss Parkinson - at any time afterwards. You are no longer restricted to the seventeenth birthday age limit. However, I also recommend you name your mothers as regents until you have had time to discuss it further."

"Thank you, both, for your counsel," said Narcissa. "I shall discuss it with Draco, Albrechta and Pansy." Narcissa dragged the boy a little apart with Madam Parkinson and Pansy joining them. Harry and Sirius backed off to leave them to it. They were soon in a bit of a quiet but heated argument.

Sirius returned to his seat.

"Is there a problem, Lady Justice? Lord Slytherin?" asked Sir Kingston looking down on them.

"It's just a finalising of decisions, Sir," replied Amelia. "If you would give us a few moments, we should have it resolved."

"Very well," he replied before turning to have a quiet conversation with Neville.

Neville, who had kept looking at his father with expressions of both concern and pleasure, was talking with both Sir Kingston and Susan. Lord Longbottom was happily in a discussion with Lord Greengrass and Sirius. However, he still looked a little pale. Harry knew his convalescence would be a slow process.

Madam Parkinson came forward to Harry with Pansy. "We'll be taking the same option as Messengers Crabbe and Goyle, Lord Slytherin," she said.

Harry also noticed the now ex-Lord, Mulciber, leaning over the rail from the Visitors Gallery and talking with Narcissa.

Harry respectfully nodded to the Parkinson matriarch and said, "Yes, Madam Parkinson." He turned to Amelia and didn't see the expression of surprise on the older woman's face as he addressed her with respect.

"Lady Justice?" called Harry. "Miss Parkinson will be taking the same option as Messengers Crabbe and Goyle, establishing her mother as regent for her House."

Amelia nodded and brought Pansy forward to the orb.

Harry left her and her mother to say their oaths while he kept an eye on the Malfoys and Mulciber. Mulciber seems to be angrily remonstrating with Narcissa, who was looking back in defiance.

He walked over and asked her, "Is there a problem, Madam Malfoy... cousin?"

Mulciber glared at Harry for a few moments before pulling his head back over the rail.

"No, Lord Slytherin," she replied with a slight look of gratefulness back at Harry. "It seem Lor... sorry, _Mister_ Mulciber, is angry with having his Lordship stripped from him."

Harry, throwing the man a bone without seeming to, said, "Well, if Mister Mulciber can convince his son to name him his regent he will regain much of his power. However, if he still refuses to give the oath then his regency will be denied. And, his son will be asked to take up the Lordship himself or name another regent. It's up to him, of course."

Mulciber was clearly listening and sat back with a thoughtful frown.

Narcissa could clearly see what effect Harry's words had on the man, and why he said it.

"And", he asked, "have you made _your_ decision?"

Narcissa nodded while Draco continued to scowl.

She looked down at her son and said, "Yes. Draco will be offering me the regency as his friends have offered their mothers before him."

Draco just scowled even further and muttered under his breath.

"A very wise decision, Mister Malfoy," Harry said to him with kindness and resolve. "Give yourself the time to complete your studies so you can dedicate your time primarily to that goal. This new Magical Parliament are going to be made to work very hard over long hours for quite some time to come. Your studies would have suffered."

As Madam Goyle walked up into the tiers of the new Parliament, Harry said to Amelia, "We're ready for the House of Malfoy. Mister Malfoy will be taking the same option."

Amelia nodded, turned towards Sir Kingston and called, "Sir Kingston, we have the Head and Regent of the Magical House of Malfoy now with us."

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Have the Head of the Magical House of Malfoy come forward."

Amelia helped Draco through his oath. Draco then backed away and Narcissa stepped forward. She gave the Regent's oath.

As she was about to walked forward, Sir Kingston said, "Let it now be known the Magical House of Malfoy is now the Noble and Magical House of Malfoy. Come forward Madam Narcissa Malfoy, Regent for the Noble and Magical House of Malfoy, and be seated among your peers."

Both her and Draco looked back at the man in shock. But Narcissa continued to ascend.

Harry, looked at Draco and said, "_Surprise!_ Go take a seat in the Visitor's Gallery, Draco. We won't be too much longer today."

Draco, still in shock, took a seat in the gallery.

While he was guiding Draco up the stairs, a boy only a year his physical senior was brought in by an auror. As with those before him, he looked a little terrified, but was putting on a brave face. Harry recognised him immediately.

He looked at the tiers where the Wizengamot once sat and frowned. His father came down from the Visitor's Gallery and began to urgently whisper to him before he could even say hello.

The boy first looked happy to see his father, then a little shocked by what he was being told, then he frowned, then he looked... resolute.

He pulled slightly away from his father and frowned back at him. Then he said something quietly back and saw his father looked shocked, then angry.

Harry used the time to walk over and said to the boy, "Mister Mulciber?"

The older Mulciber glared at Harry. Harry just ignored him.

"Yes, My Lord," said the young Mister Mulciber, as he squared his shoulders and walked apart from his father. Away from the man he frowned back at him for a moment before turning his attention to Harry.

"What is going on?" the boy asked. "And why is my father telling me I must hand him back the Lordship of our House?"

Harry quietly explained to the young man about how the Queen had disbanded the Wizengamot, demanded the formation of a parliament in its place, and that each Lord or Lady who were offered a seat in the new Magical Parliament were required to swear an oath. He explained how his father refused to give the oath so the Royal Wizard of Her Majesty's court... Harry indicated the man... stripped his father of both his Lordship and his Head of House position.

Harry then went on to detail how the boy's father refused to name his heir to take his place, so it was done for him. And he laid out how Caleb was, as the heir, now the Head of House Mulciber.

Then Harry laid out for the boy his options same as presented to Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson and Malfoy. And their decisions.

The boy stood there hearing it all without asking a single question. Once Harry had finished, he asked, "Do I have to name a regent?"

"No."

"If I name a regent does it have to be my father?"

"No. But, as that person would have access to the entire family financial estate, it should be someone you implicitly trust."

"And, if I take up the Lordship and name a proxy?"

"Then you become Lord Mulciber, you will be automatically emancipated, and have the full responsibilities of a legal adult. At that time you can also name a proxy in your stead. However, you will need to renew their proxy status once per year by attending the chamber."

"If I name a regent, does that block me from becoming Lord until I'm seventeen?"

"No. You can inform your regent, at any time, you are taking up your Lordship. They cannot refuse you, as you _are_ the rightful Lord."

"Can my father stop this?"

"Definitely not. He is now a vassal of _your_ House, unless you decide to kick him out," said Harry. "However, there is nothing to stop you from naming him your heir. But, he needs to know he still won't be able to take up a Seat, when the time comes, until he gives the oath."

"What does the oath state?"

Harry quoted it for him.

"That's it? Why the bloody hell did my father refuse to give it?"

"That is not for me to know. Nor, do I need to know. You will need to ask him, yourself."

"Thank you, My Lord," said Caleb. "I believe I know what to do, now."

"You're welcome, Mister Mulciber," replied Harry.

The young man walked back to where his father was standing and, with his arms crossed, said a few words to his father. The senior Mulciber appeared quite livid. It appeared, at one point, the senior Mulciber was going to strike the junior. An auror even stepped forward and said a quiet word.

Caleb came back to Harry and told him with a scowl, "My father attempted to force me to name him my heir, and then immediately step down as Lord."

"Clever," said Harry. "But he would still had to have given the oath. Otherwise, it would be removed from him again."

"I figured as much," replied the young man. "That's why I told him I may name him my heir, but I was _not_ going to step down. He had his chance and blew it."

"As you wish, Mister Mulciber," replied Harry, not surprised. "If you have now made your decision you need to go see Lady Justice Bones. She will guide you through what you need to do."

Caleb listened to what Amelia told him, then told her what he was doing. He then gave the oath naming _his mother_ as his regent.

His father ranted at him from the Visitor's Gallery. The aurors quickly moved to usher him out of the chamber.

Caleb, however, didn't move either. He called out, "Sir! May I name my heir at this time?"

Everyone stopped. Even Amelia was surprised at this turn of events.

Sir Kingston said warily, "You may, Mister Mulciber."

Caleb asked a question of Amelia and then turned back to the front. He laid his hand back on the orb and said, "I, Caleb Bevis Mulciber, name as my heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Mulciber, Lord Harry James Potter. So mote it be!"

The orb flashed and gonged while there was another flash on Harry's finger. Cycling through them he saw the heirs ring for the House of Mulciber on his finger.

Bevis Mulciber ranted even more and was quickly ushered out of the room. Sirius was roaring with laughter, even both Cygnus and Frank were laughing. Neville looked to be having a fit of giggles, as was Susan and Hermione.

As Caleb stepped away from the orb, Harry approached him.

"Why?" asked Harry.

Caleb smiled back and said, "It protects me from my father having me killed. His behaviour up there clearly shows he was more than considering it. Now, if he wants the Lordship back, he's going to have to go through you too, Mister Destroyer-of-the-Dark-Lord."

Harry just shook his head in denial of the shock of it.

Caleb laid his hand on Harry's shoulder and, still smiling, said, "Congratulations, Scion and Heir of the Noble and Ancient House of Mulciber."

His mother was even more quickly summoned than Mulciber senior getting tossed out. Amelia wanted an auror at the Mulciber residence before Mulciber senior could get there.

Harry suggested to the young man he join Draco and the others in the Visitor's Gallery to witness what was going on.

Sir Kingston called out, "The Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Bones, please come forward to take your oath for the House of Bones."

Susan rose from her seat and made her way down to the orb. She placed her hand upon the orb and said, "I, Susan Charity Bones, Lady and Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Bones, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and gong sound.

Then she said, "I, Susan Charity Bones, Lady and Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Bones, name as my Proxy for the House of Bones, my aunt, Madam Amelia Susan Bones. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and gong sound.

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Named Proxy for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Bones, come forward and give the oath."

Amelia stepped up while Susan held the parchment for her.

"Madam Bones," asked the Royal Wizard, "you are aware you can only occupy one seat each sitting? And that you may only vote while you occupy the seat of Bones, and not sitting as Lady Justice?"

"Yes, Sir; I am," replied Amelia.

"Very, well. You may give the proxy oath."

Susan, again, held up the parchment for the aunt to read.

"I, Amelia Susan Bones, named proxy for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Bones, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and gong sound.

Susan handed the parchment back to Amelia and walked back up to take her seat.

Sir Kingston called out, "The Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, please come forward to take your oath for the House of Potter."

Harry walked over to the orb, placed his hand upon it, and said, "I, Harry James Potter, Lord and Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and gong sound.

Then he said, "I, Harry James Potter, Lord and Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, name as my Proxy for the House of Potter, my cousin, Miss Nymphadora Tonks. So mote it be!"

Another flash of the orb and gong sound.

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Named Proxy for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, come forward and give the oath."

Amelia stepped up and said, "Miss Tonks is a Seventh Year Hufflepuff at Hogwarts; she will need to be summoned."

Sir Kingston frowned and said, "Lord Potter, do you require your proxy to take your seat for the House of Potter at this time?"

"No, Sir!" replied Harry.

"Very well," said Kingston, before turning to look at Amelia. "Lady Justice, do we still await the arrival of any Heads, Lords or Ladies, Regents or Proxies of Noble Houses?"

"Yes, Sir," she replied. "We await Madam Mulciber only."

Just as she said it, an auror walked in with Madam Mulciber in tow.

"Ah!" said Amelia. "A few moments, please, Sir Kingston."

He gave her a nod and waited.

Caleb called the woman over. The two spoke quietly together for a few moment. At one points she reeled back in surprise. But, Caleb spoke to her for a while and her face became a grim mask. She then gave a short sharp curt nod.

Caleb ushered her over to Amelia while he held back.

She, Lisanda Maerth Mulciber, gave the oath as regent for the House of Mulciber. She was invited to and ascended the stairs.

Harry saw Caleb nod in satisfaction.

Sir Kingston then asked Amelia. "Lady Justice, do we still await the arrival of any other Heads, Lords or Ladies, Regents or Proxies of Noble Houses?"

"No, Sir," she replied.

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "At this time I ask our guests to please wait outside. We will not be long so you may wait just outside the chambers. Aurors, please clear the Visitors Gallery and others from the floor. Only Senior Auror and up may remain of the aurors. Lord Slytherin, Lady Justice, please take your seats."

After a bit of grumbling from those who wanted to stay and watch everyone bar those seated in the new Magical Parliament, plus the Scribe and three aurors, the doors were sealed.

Sir Kingston then said, "Lords, Ladies, Madams and Sirs, this officially ends the first sitting of the formation of the new Magical Parliament of the magical United Kingdom. As you can see, there are a number of empty seats to my left. These will be filled as we find new Lords or Ladies, or their Regents or Proxies, to fill them.

"By order of Her Majesty, if an heir cannot be found for a House, then that House will be struck from the books. We will not see this chamber filled by people claiming proxies for Houses whose entire lines have actually ended. However, arrangements have been made with the Goblin Nation for any and all who are willing to pay the associated costs to undertake the Rite of Inheritance."

That brought a few mutterings from the few in the room.

He continued, "Her Majesty is _very_ interested in finding those who do not realise they have inheritance due them; and ensuring they get them. I assure you, the goblins are just as interested, as they believe unclaimed inheritances are simply gold gathering dust and occupying space that could be used by gold earning monies for them.

"Lord Potter and Lord Black, as majority shareholders in the Daily Prophet, have assured us they will ensure space will be granted us for the inclusion of a notice informing the people of magical Britain we are seeking the rightful heirs of a wide number of Houses. And that many of those Houses may be due a seat on this body."

That brought even more grumblings.

"If someone is the true heir it is theirs by right and they will have it!" snapped the Royal Wizard. "This is the command of your Sovereign."

And that halted the mutterings.

"The second and final item I have for you is a delicate one," he said. "Scribe, this will not be entered into the official record. This will not be discussed by anyone, or communicated to any other person in any form. This includes all those present."

Weatherby looked up for a moment, and then shut the auto-quill down. Once he was ready he nodded back.

Sir Kingston waited on the signal from the scribe and said, "Earlier this morning, by order of Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, Head of the Royal and Elder House of Windsor, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was taken to the Veil of Death in the Department of Mysteries, here, in the Ministry. There, he was read the Order of Execution. He was then executed by being summarily thrown through the Veil of Death. His execution was dutifully witnessed by Lady Justice, two of her aurors, and two Unspeakables."

That caused a few shocked exclamations.

He continued, "I now call this First meeting of the Magical Parliament of the magical United Kingdom to a close."

*Gong!*

# # #

Harry asked Sir Kingston to join him in the chamber's antechamber. He needed to know how the man's attitude had changed so much from the man he'd first met back in early July.

"Sir Kingston," said Harry, carefully considering his words. "I need to know how it is you've managed to change so much in the past few weeks. The man I met in the palace is not the man I standing before me today."

The older man stood looking intently at Harry for a long for moments clearly thinking. When, to Harry, it appeared he'd come to a decision, he said, "Until that day, My Lord Slytherin, I thought my job to be - in the vernacular of the common folk - quite 'cushy'. I believed it to be no more than monitoring and maintaining the existing wards about the palace; and to answer for Her Majesty specific questions about the wizarding world. A job description, as explained to me by my predecessor.

"Then you came before the Queen and explained to her about sedition within the magical world. Information _I_ should have both been aware of, and provided her, long before you arrived. Yet, I did not.

"The shock of learning from you that sedition was occurring and that I was unaware of it; that day, in the presence of our Queen, I suffered a mild heart attack."

Harry interrupted and said, "I'm sorry to hear that, Sir Kingston. Are you alright now, though?"

The older man made a throw away gesture and said, "It was what it was. It was a warning."

Continuing he said, "Later that day, while still resting in the palace hospital, I received a note from His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, inviting me to morning tea the next day. One does not ignore such an invitation.

"The next morning, and against doctor's orders, I met with the Prince in his private apartments. It was just the two of us.

"During that meeting he told me a few cold hard truths. And, about the nicest thing he said to me was... and I remember it vividly... 'You have let down the realm, you have let down your country, you have let down yourself; but, worst of all, you have let down my Mum'.

"Instead of heading home to further rest up, I headed for the palace records office. There, I researched deeply into the role of Royal Wizard, and what it meant. I had to go back over two hundred years before I finally discovered just what my role was _supposed_ to entail.

"Then, incognito, I visited Diagon Alley, the Ministry, and other wizarding towns and communities. I spoke to a great many people. At the Ministry I visited the records office there and had to go back almost four hundred years before I found records concerning the role of the Royal Wizard.

"From it all, I learned a number of things. First, I am too old to truly be effective in my role; it is a younger man's role. Secondly, it is my primary role to protect Her Majesty and the Royal Family from magical attacks; be they, spell fire, potion, physical, or mental. And, third, to be aware at all times of the... temperature... of the wizarding world within the United Kingdom, so I may provide Her Majesty wise counsel.

"That is why I am currently training my son, my apprentice, to take over as Royal Wizard from me as soon as possible. Instead of learning things such as how to make the perfect cup of tea, he is undergoing training in how to wield a sword, how to detect harmful magic in an as unobtrusive manner as possible, to instinctually place himself between the Queen and a magical threat - as a true knight of the realm should - at all times, and know how to carry out the role with the dignity and etiquette the role demands.

"I may have failed my Queen once, for that I even offered my immediate resignation - which was refused, by the way - but, so help me God, I will not fail her again. I would rather forfeit my own life before allowing that to happen a second time.

"It took you, an eleven year old boy, to shake me out of my stupidity and phlegmatic attitude to my responsibility. It hurt, but it also opened my eyes. And I thank you for that."

Harry heard the man's clearly passionate speech, and let him complete it without further interruption.

Once he was done, Harry said, "Then, Sir Knight to Her Majesty, the Queen, Royal Wizard, I welcome you as friend and comrade," and held out his hand to shake. "I look forward to working with you."

Sir Kingston shook Harry's hand and smiled. "For as long as that may be," the man said.

# # #


	29. It's a Conclusion

**A/N:** _Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I just play in her sandbox and make no monies from her works. I just _wish_ I did._

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine - It Concludes

Once they'd returned to the castle, Harry moaned about his so-called, now elongated, full title. "Lord Harry James Potter, Earl of Slytherin, Lord and Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin, Lord and Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, Head of the Most Ancient House of Gaunt, Head of the Most Ancient House of Peverell, Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Heir of the Noble and Ancient House of Mulciber, Part-Owner of Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The-Boy-Who-Lived, The-Destroyer-of-The-Dark-Wizard-Tom-Riddle" he sighed. His bloody title was even longer than the Queen's.

Hermione threw a pillow at him. "Stop your whining!" she admonished him.

"Damn it, 'Mione; _think_ about it for a moment, will you?" he asked. "Of those families, Slytherin, Gaunt, Black and Mulciber are all considered dark. Only Potter and Peverell are considered light families; and only Peverell because of its close ties to the House of Potter! _How_ am I supposed to get people to _like_ me if I keep coming up looking more and more dark, all the time? _How_ am I supposed to restructure the thinking of what it means to be a Slytherin if I keep having _dark_ families make me their heirs? Sheesh!"

"You'll just have to prove 'dark' and 'light' are words that don't apply, anymore," she replied. "Besides, you've done little to make the Slytherins understand Salazaar was talking about purity of spirit rather than purity of blood. And, do they even know Salazaar was a mundane-born yet?"

"Okay," said Harry throwing up his hands. "I get it. There's loads more work to do and moaning about something as inane as an overly long title isn't getting it done."

"Well," she said, "that wasn't _specifically_ what I was referring to; but, it works for me."

"Okay, you two," spoke up Neville from one of the couches. "Enough with the lovey-dovey stuff."

"Neville!" said a highly shocked Hermione. "We were not doing any such thing!"

"Uh-huh," said the boy in mock agreement. "Anyway, the reason I interrupted is; it appears we have our first complaint from a student that has been pushed through to us to 'overturn'. We need to deal with it swiftly."

Harry found himself a seat on the one of the couches and asked, "Okay, who is it and what have they supposedly done?"

Gathering his thoughts, Neville said, "One of my First Years approached Professor Lupin about how a fellow First Year Gryffindor was bullying her into helping him with his homework. The... bully... is already a known skiver of homework and has felt the ire of the Professors already about not handing in homework, or the homework being of such a poor standard.

"The culprit - sorry, the alleged culprit - was issued a loss of ten points, detention and remedial homework. They now feel they've been unfairly punished. On appeal to her Professor Sinistra increased both the number of points to fifteen and increased the detention from one week to two. The alleged culprit now seeks to have the matter heard by us."

"I _detest_ bullies," scowled Hermione. "Do we have to listen to them?"

"Yes, Hermione," said Susan. "We all agreed on the rules and it is their right under those rules."

Hermione sighed. "Alright then."

"How about we start with the initial complainant then go on to hearing from Remus, then from the rest of the Professors he has handed in poor homework to, and leave our little skiver to last," suggested Harry.

The others agreed.

"And, who may I ask, is our _alleged_ culprit?" asked Harry.

"Ronald Weasley," replied Neville.

"I'm not surprised," said Harry.

"And who was the victim who first raised this?"

"Lavender Brown."

After calling for and interviewing Professor Flitwick - both acting as Deputy Headmaster and as one of the Professors who taught young Mister Weasley - and asking the half goblin to remain, they then called for Remus, Sirius, and, finally, Professor Sinistra interviewing each in turn. They, then, called for Professor Vector to accompany young Miss Brown.

The young girl came in, clearly nervous. She was accompanied by Professor Vector as her House Counsellor, as expected.

Hermione, being of the same stature and less intimidating than the others, ushered her and the Professor into a couch sitting with them at the coffee table. Hermione was assuring the young girl she was not in trouble.

To try to help put the girl at ease it was agreed Susan would interview her. The others would remain quiet.

"Miss Brown," began Susan. "We are aware of what has been going on regarding you and the youngest Mister Weasley." The girl began to tear up. "And we are also aware _none of it_ is your fault. You have attempted to do the right thing and have only acted with thoughts to your own safety.

"Though you may find it embarrassing to tell us you need to be aware you have nothing to be embarrassed about. We need you to tell us everything. Please, do so."

Lavender sat there looking wretched. But, it wasn't until Professor Vector whispered into her ear that she began to talk.

Starting a bit hesitantly, but soon pouring out her heart, she told them everything. She told them how Ron Weasley had threatened her. How he had said his status as a pureblood and secret friend of Lord Slytherin and Lord Gryffindor meant he could go to them and have her kicked out. How she would do his homework for him 'or else'. How his older brother was a Prefect and how would become Head Boy. And how she would do as she was told as he had the power to punisher her.

By the time she had finished speaking she was weeping openly. All four heirs were furious, but only Susan was hiding it well; as was Professor Vector.

"Miss Brown... Lavender..." said Susan in a calm voice. "We are neither angry nor upset with you. Ron Weasley _lied_ to you. However, you had no way of knowing he did. And he used those lies to _use_ you. You are only a victim of belief. We, however, can right this great wrong."

Susan then leaned forward and asked, "As the victim we now ask you; what do you want to see happen here?"

Still with tears in her eyes, but with a hopeful look, Lavender said, "I want it stopped. I don't want anyone else to feel this way. I want it so no one else is bullied like this!"

Susan sighed and said, "And what about Mister Weasley?"

"I just want him stopped," the girl said firmly.

Harry finally spoke up and said, "It speaks highly of you that you did not seek punishment for him, only that he be stopped. However, punishment is what he will face.

"We also cannot stop _all_ bullying for there are those who think they'll either not get caught when they do it, or think the rules don't apply to them. However, we will punish them when we discover it, and _no one_ is beyond the rules. Through that we can ensure the cases of where and when bullying _does_ occur will be very few and far between.

"We _will _be punishing young Mister Weasley, so we need _you_ to understand that what punishment he faces is _not your fault_ because you told us about it. All you sought was for the bullying of you to stop, and that will occur. What punishment is meted out will be our decision and does not impinge on you. Okay?"

Lavender had stopped crying but just nodded in misery.

"Lavender," said Hermione, calling the girl's attention to her, "you were very brave to tell us what was going on. And it is clear to us why the Sorting Hat placed you in the House of Gryffindor. Now we need you to be a little brave for only a couple hours longer. Mister Weasley will no longer be in a position to _ever_ come near you again, okay?"

Lavender mutely nodded again.

Neville said, "Professor Vector, please escort Miss Brown back to her common room, and escort Mister Weasley and Mister _Percy_ Weasley back here."

The Professor stood and said, "Thank you, My Lords and Ladies," and escorted Miss Brown out of their common room.

# # #

That evening, just before the meal was served, the four heirs stood just in front of the head table and called attention to themselves. The staff were already aware of what was to happen, as were three red-headed Gryffindors.

Neville stepped forward and, using a clear voice, said, "Students!"

That received immediate silence.

"You are all aware of the rules we put in place on the morning of the Second of September. One student egregiously breached those rules. One student engaged in continuous and threatened harm to another. One student used intimidation and other threats to bully another.

"That student was given a major point deduction, detention and remedial assignments. However, that student refused the punishment and sought for the matter to be taken all the way to us. He should have been accepting of the punishment he was issued.

"However, bullying and intimidation of another is not something we feel could be handled so... lightly. This breach of the rules was so egregious - and the culprit so unrepentant of their actions - we, the four heirs and owners of this school, saw no recourse but to _snap_ that student's _wand_ and _expel_ them from this school. He will _never_ be welcomed back."

That brought quite a few mutterings from amongst the students. Most were just curious as to what happened.

Neville continued, "We will not name the victim, or victims, of the perpetrator. We will, however, name the bully as Ronald Bilius Weasley, now an ex-First Year from my House. We do not, and neither will you, hold the other Weasley siblings to _any_ blame in this."

More mutterings and looks at the Gryffindor House table.

Harry then said, "You are _not_ to attempt to discover the identity of the victim or victims. Such actions would be considered further attempts at bullying, and will also be _harshly_ treated. Further, we only informed you of this action, and against whom it was directed, to put to rest any... enquiries... as to why young Mister Weasley is no longer in your midst."

Hermione spoke next. "You should come away from this knowing we will act, when and if, we need to. You should also come away from this with the knowledge your so-called blood status does not exempt you from the rules. Young Mister Weasley, using the old terms, is a pureblood."

Susan said, "We apologise for upsetting your dainty stomachs with such news. However, we will now have the meal served and hope you will at least _try_ to eat something."

The four heirs moved off the dais and returned to their tables amidst a few chuckles, and quickly called for the meal to be served.

After sitting down, Harry noticed that quite a few of the missing students, those who had lost a parent when Harry... did his thing to Riddle, had returned. Most of them were talking happily about them becoming the Heads of their Houses with their mothers as their regents.

He answered quite a few questions about what that meant. And about the formation of the new Parliament and why.

No one asked him about Ron Weasley or his victim.

# # #

Next morning and Harry was well on the way to recovery from 'accidentally' killing all the marked Death Eaters. He was sitting down in the Great Hall enjoying breakfast and avidly reading the _Daily Prophet_. The stories about his finally ridding the world of Riddle were finally at an end, except for what it meant to the new Heads of their Houses, where appropriate.

There was a long article on how the Wizengamot had been disbanded and what it meant to the pre-existing power structure. All of it, of course, was conjecture.

What he was really interested in was the big 'advertisements' informing all and sundry that there was a great many Heads of Houses that were currently unoccupied, and how 'you' could be the missing heir. It also covered how Gringotts was prepared to do the Rites of Inheritance for all those who wanted it done - for a fee, of course - but that they'd have to book an appointment in advance.

The advertisement also said there would be plenty of time set aside for after hours; after normal business hours, of course, as the goblins were not ones to shut their doors if there was gold to be made.

It further indicated there were a great many seats to be had by Heads of Houses who were not currently Noble Houses.

Harry hoped Ragnock appreciated the business headed his way. He expected the old goblin would.

The other large advertisement along the same lines was the call for general elections, and who could apply to stand. It mentioned the various districts and how many from each district would be elected. Though it was not used within the mundane world of the United Kingdom it was agreed to use what was called the Hare-Clark Electoral System. It was a system used in Australia on the island of Tasmania and within the Australian Capital Territory.

Harry and the others provided Augusta and Amelia all the information they could gather about the system and the two witches wholeheartedly supported it with their combined endorsement. A new Department within the Ministry was created that would both administer and run the elections on a three year cycle during the summer months. The first election would not, however, be run until the summer of the following year. They needed that time to set the system in place, and to ensure magic could not be used to interfere.

Until then, the new Parliament would only be formed of the adapted House of Lords. However, they were going to be busy enough very soon with having to re-enact laws that were either being stripped from the laws, or rewritten to meet the Queen's demands.

The talk of the morning for the table was, of course, on what it meant to the existing ruling elite and those otherwise with power. Many were surprised to learn that those Seated would only be allowed the single vote. No longer would they be permitted to also hold proxies.

Already some of his students were making a start on creating new alliances, and disassembling old ones.

Harry just shook his head in wonder.

He folded the paper and placed it on the table under his left hand. And proceeded to make himself a proper breakfast. He was digging in and enjoying it immensely when Daphne, who always managed to sit on his left at the end of the table, slid a little closer.

"My Lord?" she asked quietly. "I am led to believe there are... three.. Most Ancient Houses that were once ennobled."

She then lifted her right hand and placed it on top of Harry's left where it rested on the newspaper.

"You wouldn't happen to know the identity of those Houses, would you?" she asked, Harry was surprised, almost seductively.

'Not bad for an eleven year old,' thought Harry. "As a matter of fact, yes I do," he said, amused.

Harry noticed the slight flicker of annoyance cross her face as he didn't tell her which Houses they were.

"And, what Houses would they be, My Lord?" she asked carefully sliding even closer.

Harry watched as Tracey Davies looked at her friend in a mixture of shock and surprise; one eyebrow lifted.

Steeling his expression and trying not to smile, let alone laugh, Harry said, "That would be the Most Ancient Houses of Gaunt, Peverell and Lovegood. At one time Gaunt was ennobled but, I believe, an ancestor of that line lost the nobility to the Malfoys. The other, Lovegood, simply had their noble status annulled due to not wishing their line to be involved in the politics of the realm any longer. And Peverell was subsumed into the Potter line."

Harry watched the young girl lightly moisten her lips before trying to slide a little closer still. The fingers on her right hand were now lightly stroking the back of Harry's hand.

"And," she asked, "you wouldn't happen to know who the Head of the House of Gaunt is, do you?"

Harry sat pretending to think about his answer for the moment before saying, "Yes, actually. As a matter of fact, I do."

Tracey sat almost frozen watching her friend trying to tempt Harry with her 'feminine wiles'.

Another slight flicker of annoyance crossed Daphne's face. This time she leaned in closer, and whispered to him in a breathy voice, "And who would that happen to be, My Lord?"

Harry responded with, "And what is it worth to you to know?"

Daphne then leaned forward slightly and kissed him on the cheek. "What would you have of me, My Lord?"

Tracey, who had clearly been listening, dropped the knife she was holding and turned a nice shade of pink.

Harry also turned a little pink. But, not from embarrassment; from trying not to laugh. However, she did manage to make goose bumps rise up on his arms.

He said quietly back to Daphne, "Well, seeing as you've been so polite to ask. How could I refuse to answer?"

He then turned his head to lightly breathe on the girl's neck as he gently whispered, "Me, my dear Miss Greengrass."

Then he pulled his head back, withdrew his hand and re-attacked his breakfast as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Daphne sat there in utter shock for a few moments before she quickly got up, grabbed her bag, and fled the room. Harry suspected she was dashing to the owlery.

Harry sat there chuckling a little, while Tracey looked at him with no little shock of her own. "What did you say to her?" she asked.

"Now, how would that be fair of me to tell you when Daphne went to so much trouble to get the answer; hmmm?" he gleefully replied.

Tracey just glared at him for a moment before she, too, quickly stood, grabbed her bag and fled the room.

Harry chuckled, watching her go. He looked up to see his godfather had been watching him from the other end of the table. The man grinned back at him with a knowing smirk and winked at him. Harry suspected his godfather thought Harry had made a female conquest, or something.

One of the closest other First Years, Theo Nott, asked, "What did you say to her to make her run like that?"

Harry smiled and said, "The truth."

Nott sat there for a moment and snorted, "You told her the truth? To a _Slytherin_? No _wonder_ she ran off."

Harry burst into laughter. Even young Theodore chuckled a little, considering Harry's own response. Not a few students looked their way wondering what was going on.

# # #

Later in the week, Harry and the others received a note from the renamed Wizengamot Administration Services, the Magical Parliament Administration Services (MPAS), that the next session of the new Magical Parliament would be delayed by a week. They apologised for the delay and stated Gringotts had asked for the extension due to the sheer number of people, even those with living parents, coming in for the Rites of Inheritance tests.

Harry thought the delay might have had more to do with the goblins seeing a way to make a bit of extra gold. He didn't blame them for it, though. You'd as soon blame a mosquito for stealing blood. It was in their nature. And, as long as the goblins were happy taking gold from wizardkind, they were less likely in future to take heads.

The MPAS were also going through all the copies of the tests sent their way with the Minister and Lady Justice. They felt they would not have time to properly vet each application/demand for at least another week.

Working with the MPAS was the new Department of Electoral Services. As they will still in the planning stages they were called upon to assist the MPAS get through the workload.

Harry winced. He had given a thought to the amount of work it would take, but even he was surprised at the sheer numbers of RoI tests they had to wade through. There were even not a few supposed mundane-borns who soon found themselves sporting a new Head of House ring.

Amelia had handed over the Head of the DMLE position to Rufus Scrimgeour while she Headed the new Department of Justice; another new Department set up by the new Minister. Amelia was tasked with creating a department separate from the aurors and responsible for the prosecution and trials of the accused. She was already getting a lot of work as Rufus's investigative aurors went through the Ministry with many doses of Veratiserum rooting out all the corruption left over from the previous administrations.

Harry was happy to see Amelia and Augusta were on the warpath and purebloods, and those half bloods from sufficiently powerful families, were being ousted from their cosy offices, charged and released until a trial could be arranged for them at a later date. Those so arrested, of course, were immediately barred from returning to the Ministry offices or other employment within. Those so arrested and barred were also banned from seeking a position within the tiers of the new Magical Parliament.

Augusta had approached Sir David and Sir Anthony begging them to send a few of the mundane-borns with administrative experience back into the magical world with promises of respectable jobs in the evolving Ministry. The same applied with Amelia looking to fill the ranks of her new department with those skilled in handling matters relating to law.

Augusta, Amelia and Rufus were working their butts off for many long hours a day but seemed to be having the time of their lives.

# # #

On a warm day, Neville had also dragged the three of them outside to watch the wards being installed on the large patch of vacant fallow ground that would house the new vegetable gardens. He, Professor Vector, Professor Sprout and Hagrid had worked hard to get it done. Surprisingly, Hagrid had a fair idea as to the dietary requirements of the student population. It was confirmed by Headmistress McGonagall when she showed them the invoices for the monthly purchase of foodstuffs that found its way into the castle year round.

Gringotts had supplied the ward stones and they were being lowered into the ground. Harry thought the area the wards would encompass was huge! It had taking a great deal of planning by Neville, Professor Vector and the goblins to ensure they had the alignments right. But now the stones were being settled into place. As planned, the wards of the new vegetable farm would also be linked with the wards for the entire grounds.

Once the stones were in place and partially buried, the goblins remained to assist with the first powering of the wards. The four heirs instructed Lady Hogwarts to hand control of the wards to the goblin team leader. It was he who first linked the stones to the ley lines, linked them together and set in place the shunt for the wards of the vegetable plot to boost the main wards if and when needed.

When control of the wards was returned to the four heirs, they immediately felt the added power coming from the new ward stones. They tested the emergency shunt and declared it in fine form to the goblin. Then, with help from the other heirs and the two Professors, Neville set up the wards specifically required to protect the soon-to-be planted vegetables and fruits.

Harry and the girls left an ecstatic Neville and Professor Sprout to it, and returned to the castle with Professor Vector and Headmistress McGonagall. The goblins had already left with barely a word of goodbye. Hermione gave them thanks on behalf of the school and gave the goblin words of parting. The lead goblin was surprised but reciprocated. Harry thought Neville and Pomona hadn't even noticed.

# # #

Finally came the day the new Magical Parliament could ennoble all those wondering if they'd be selected. Those already in place filed into the old Courtroom Ten. Sir Kingston was ready; the others already ennobled and waiting were ready. Lucky members of the media filled the Visitors Gallery, the unlucky were left dejected or furious outside in the atrium.

Sir Kingston opened the session and called for the first order of business. This, too, had all been planned in advance.

Harry stood and said, "I have business before the Parliament, Royal Wizard Davies."

"You have the floor, Lord Slytherin," said Sir Kingston.

Harry stepped down to the main floor and stood before the orb. He looked up and said, "Many of you are unaware I am also the Head of the Most Ancient House of Gaunt. This title I won by Rite of Combat against the living dark wizard Riddle when I was fifteen months old, the then last remaining of the line of Gaunt.

"The Most Ancient House of Gaunt was one of the original Great Houses. However, through poor management and business dealings, it lost its once earned Noble status. The House, once proud, then fell into poverty.

"When I discovered I had won the Headship of the House through the goblin Rite of Inheritance, I also discovered **t**he House had no assets left to its name. At that point it could have been rebuilt. I could have used my wealth to re-establish it. However, I do not wish to do that. The name Gaunt will be associated forevermore with the name Riddle... and Voldemort... and I do not want my family associated with it.

"Therefore," said Harry placing his hand on the orb, "I, Harry James Potter, Head and last remaining member of the Most Ancient House of Gaunt, hereby _end_ the line of Gaunt. So mote it be!"

There was a flash and gong sound. Mutterings rose from the tiers and from the Gallery. Harry could see Cygnus Greengrass frown a great deal. Clearly, young Daphne had advised her father.

'That's one title gone,' thought Harry.

"Further," he said, "I wish to name my Proxy for the Seat of Potter."

"You still have the floor, Lord Slytherin," said Sir Kingston.

"Thank you, Royal Wizard," replied Harry before he once more placed his hand on the orb. "I, Lord Harry James Potter of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, name as my Proxy for the Seat of Potter, my cousin, Miss Nymphadora Tonks. So mote it be!"

Flash and gong.

Sir Kingston asked, "Is the Proxy for the Potter Seat ready to take her place amongst her peers?"

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry.

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Have the Proxy for the Seat of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter come forward."

Tonks - 'Don't call me Nymphadora!' - came in from where she waited in the antechamber. She walked up to stand beside Harry.

"Are you sure about this, Harry?" she quiveringly asked.

"We've been over this, Tonks; with you, your mother and your father," he replied. "I'm very sure."

Tonks sighed and turned to the orb. Harry held the written oath for her to read.

"I, Nymphadora Tonks," recited Tonks, "named Proxy for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law, and vote as my conscience and Head of the House I represent wishes, within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Flash and gong.

Sir Kingston said, "Come forward, Miss Tonks, named Proxy of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, and be seated among your peers."

Tonks, a little startled by being addressed so formally, ascended the stairs. Sirius indicated a seat for her. When she sat and placed her wand in the receptacle as instructed by Sirius, her new Parliament robes appeared with the Potter Crest surrounded by a white background. The Potter crest also appeared in the head rest above her head.

She looked a little stunned, but pleased. Sirius whispered words of encouragement to her.

Sir Kingston called, "Is there any further business before we begin the main reason we are here today?"

Sirius stood and said, "I have business before the Parliament, Royal Wizard Davies."

"You have the floor, Lord Black," said Sir Kingston.

Sirius joined Harry on the floor and said, "As many of you know, my godson, Lord Potter, my son in all but name, is my current heir.

"However, he claims he already has too many titles and he must wonder if he will be man enough to father enough children to ensure all his titles succeed him..."

"Oi!" replied Harry a little indignantly.

Chuckling, as were a few others, Sir Kingston said, "Lord Black has the call."

"To... alleviate him...", continued Sirius as if there was no interruption, "of part of this... problem... and to assuage his pleading, I name a new heir to the House of Black." Sirius then placed his hand on the orb and recited from Harry's parchments, "I, Lord Sirius Orion Black, hereby name my heir for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, my cousin, Madam Andromeda Tonks nee Black. So mote it be!"

Flash and gong.

Harry saw and felt the flash as the Heir's ring for the House of Black disappeared from his finger. He hoped Andromeda would wear it with as much pride as he did.

"Thank you, Sirius," he said, looking up at his godfather. "I think."

"You're welcome, Pup," replied Sirius with a grin and giving Harry's hair a quick ruffle before heading back up the tiers to his seat.

"To other matters unresolved a fortnight ago, do you have Lord Stebbins with us, this morning?" asked Sir Kingston.

A tall man came forth and said, "Sir. My brother, Lord Mathias Stebbins, passed away during the week due to long illness. His heir is his son, Francis. However, Francis is only nine years old, and ill-suited as yet to take up his Lordship."

"I see," replied the Royal Wizard, before turning to Amelia, "Lady Justice, is this confirmed?"

"Amelia placed her hand upon her chair arm where her wand was already held in its receptacle and said, "Yes, Sir Kingston. All that has been said is true. At this time, and as per the Will of the late Lord Stebbins, we ask that the man before us, Mister Tyler Stebbins, be granted both guardianship of young Francis Stebbins and Regency of the Stebbins Seat."

"You have personally confirmed this by sighting the Will, Lady Justice?" he asked.

"I have, Sir," she replied.

"Very well," said the Royal Wizard, before turning back to face Harry and Tyler Stebbins, "Come forward, Tyler Stebbins, guardian of Francis Stebbins, Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Stebbins, and give the oath."

Harry held the parchment for Tyler to give his oath.

Flash and gong.

When Tyler Stebbins, Regent for the House of Stebbins, finished, the Royal Wizard said, "Come forward Regent Stebbins of the Noble and Ancient House of Stebbins, and be seated among your peers."

The older man walked up into the tiers and took a seat. As with the other Regents, his crest on his Parliamentary robes and headrest was surrounded by a red border.

"Lady Justice," called the Royal Wizard, "are we ready to induct our new Lords, Ladies and Regents?"

"We are, Sir," Amelia replied. "Lord Slytherin has also offered his services to assist me. And the auror corps is ready to protect all and bring forth the lucky few."

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "You may proceed."

"Thank you, Sir," said Amelia.

Amelia joined Harry on the floor. The Royal Wizard indicated for the commencement of the call of those about to be ennobled.

"First, Sir, if I may?" said Amelia, receiving a nod from Sir Kingston, "It seems Lord Potter has not yet taken up his Headship of the Most Ancient House of Peverell. I ask that he do so, at this time."

Another nod with Harry grumbling.

"Fine!" he grouched. He lifted his hand and intoned, "I Harry James Potter, hereby claim my Headship of the Most Ancient House of Peverell. So mote it be!" He lowered his wand.

"Thank you," said Amelia with a smirk.

She then had Harry place his hand on the orb and recite, "I, Harry James Potter, hereby claim Lordship for the Most Ancient House of Peverell. I further swear on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

"Do you wish to name a Proxy to the Seat of Peverell at this time?" asked the Royal Wizard.

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry before he once more placed his hand on the orb. "I, Lord Harry James Potter of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell, name as my Proxy for the Seat of Peverell, my friend and tutor, Major Daniel Granger of the Queen's Own Regiment. So mote it be!"

Flash and gong.

Sir Kingston asked, "Is the Proxy for the Peverell Seat ready to take his place amongst his peers?"

Harry looked up to the Visitor's Gallery and saw Dan sitting there looking at him in shock. "Yes, Sir," replied Harry, with a grin.

"Very well," said Sir Kingston. "Have the Proxy for the Seat of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell come forward."

Dan hesitantly came down from the Gallery and walked up to Harry. He was gobsmacked. "Harry, I...," he tried to say.

"Do this, Dan," replied Harry. "It'll give you more time to spend with your daughter, and ties in nicely with Her Majesty's instructions for you to protect her."

Dan nodded, braced himself, and placed his hand on the orb. "I, Daniel Michael Granger," recited Dan, "named Proxy for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell, _again_ swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law, and vote as my conscience and Head of the House I represent wishes, within these chambers. So mote it be!"

Flash and gong.

Sir Kingston said, "Come forward, Major Granger, named Proxy of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell, and be seated among your peers."

As Dan took a seat near Sirius and very close to Hermione his robes changed to their Parliamentary configuration with the House crest of Peverell surrounded in white. The seat did the same for the headrest. The man himself sat there in not a little residual shock.

Sir Kingston started to call forth the new, and sometimes renewed Ancient Houses "When you hear the name of your House called, you will step down, approach the orb and give your oath to be seated. Lady Justice will have the words of your oath for you to read. Please follow her instructions. Once you have made your oath you may take seat in a vacant seat to my left."

Using his own set of notes on parchment, Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Most Ancient House of Lovegood, please come forward."

Amelia looked up at Xeno Lovegood and encouraged him to come forward. She already had the relevant oath ready for him. A tap of her wand had changed the relevant details on the document.

He came down from the Gallery and walked up to the orb. Amelia whispered to him and he looked at her with not a little surprise. He placed his hand on the orb and gave the oath. "I, Xenophilius Robin Lovegood, Head of the Most Ancient House of Lovegood, swear allegiance to the Crown and on my honour and my seat, to faithfully obey the law and vote my conscience within these chambers. So mote it be!"

The orb flashed, and Sir Kingston said, "Come forward Lord Lovegood of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Lovegood, and be seated among your peers.

Xeno, not a little dazed, came up and joined the others to the left of the Royal Wizard. Hearing a noise, Harry turned to the Visitor's Gallery and saw a young blood girl, almost ready to start at Hogwarts, sitting with the journalists and clapping gaily with a big smile on her face.

Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Ancient House of Alderton, please come forward."

So it went through the Ancient Houses of Alderton, Belby, Bobbin, Bulstrode, Bletchley, Crouch, Fawcett, Fortescue and Jorkins.

Next came Lestrange. When Sir Kingston called for the Head of the Ancient House of Lestrange to step forward, Frank came down from his seat and approached the orb.

"Peers," he called to those already seated in the tiers, "It has come to my attention that, on the death of my cousins, Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange two weeks ago, marked Death Eaters serving time in Azkaban, the Lestrange name has fallen to the Longbottoms as having the only link to the line.

"However, as Lord Potter-Slytherin has said before me, I do not wish that stain upon my family's honour. As such," he placed his hand on the orb, "I, Lord Francis Monroe Longbottom, Head of the Ancient House of Lestrange, hereby _end_ the line of Lestrange. So mote it be!"

Flash and gong.

He gave Harry a nod and walked back up into the tiers. Harry was happy to see the past two weeks of recuperations had done well for the man's health.

Next came Rosier - not a wannabe Death Eater, but an elder gentleman - Scamander, Selwyn and Smethwyk. That made the last of the Ancient, now Noble and Ancient, Seats.

Then they dropped to the Elder Seats of Bagman (with Ludo Bagman as the heir), Bagnold (Millicent's son, Basil) and Blenkinsop.

The next one was a surprise, too. When the Elder House of Carrow, a known very dark family, was called forward. The Head of the Unspeakables, Algernon Croaker was brought in, grumbling all the way.

"_What_ is the meaning of this?!" grumbled the cloaked figure.

"Mister Algernon _Carrow_,..." the Royal Wizard began.

"What?" splutter the figure. "_Damn it_! _Now_ I'm going to _have_ to obliviate everyone!"

Harry was stunned speechless, as were a great number of other people in the room. 'Croaker was a _Carrow_?' thought Harry. 'Who would'a thunk it?'

"_Mister_ Algernon Carrow," the Royal Wizard began again, "you will do no such thing!"

"And _why_ is that?" growled the Unspeakable.

"Her Majesty requires you to take up seat, here, in the new Magical Parliament," replied the Royal Wizard. "You don't want to be forced to go and tell her _why_ you refused to serve, do you?"

"_Damn it_! That's playin' dirty!" the Unspeakable grouched again. Then he sighed, reached up, and dropped the hood of his cloak off onto his shoulders. Clearly, the man looked like 'a Carrow' but was older and looked like a kindly man. The sort a mundane would pick to play Santa Claus.

Harry asked, "Do you know you look..."

"... like Santa Claus, kid?" finished the ex-Unspeakable in a friendlier voice. "Yeah, I know."

Harry just snorted in response before holding the oath up for the man to give.

"Oh, I already know what to say, kid," said the still grumbling ex-Unspeakable, waving Harry off. And he gave the oath.

When invited to take seat by the Royal Wizard he replied, "No, not yet. I've _now_ got to go and tell my second-in-command he's now Head of the Department, _damn it all_!" And stormed back out again.

Sirius, Frank and Cygnus were all laughing. Not a few others were trying to hide their grins. Even Sir Kingston was smiling. "That was fun!" he said to all and sundry. That set the laughers back off again.

After everyone had calmed down again Sir Kingston went back to calling up the New Lords and Ladies. Doge was next. He held his seat in the old Wizengamot as a Proxy for a House that no longer existed. This time he'd hold it in his own right.

The next one was going to be touchy.

Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Elder House of Dumbledore, please come forward."

Amelia and Harry looked up at Aberforth Dumbledore and encouraged him to come forward. She already had the relevant oath ready for him.

There were a great deal of mumblings from the Visitor's Gallery and a few from the already newly seated Lords and Ladies. 'What happened to Albus Dumbledore?' 'Where is he?' 'How did Dumbledore die?' 'Is he dead or just banned?'

He gave the oath but, when invited to ascend into the tiers and take seat, he instead said, "Sir, at this time, I wish to name my heir."

"Very well, Sir," replied Sir Kingston. "Name your heir."

Aberforth laid his hand back on the orb and said, "I, Aberforth Simon Montague William Dumbledore, name as my heir to the Noble and Elder House of Dumbledore, Lord Harry James Potter. So mote it be!"

"_Huh?_" said Harry, in shock. "_Damn it!_ Not another one!" he moaned.

There was ructions in the Visitor's Gallery and in those already seated. Susan was grinning while shaking her head. Hermione was giggling so much she had tears in her eyes. Neville, Sirius, Frank, Dan and Tonks were roaring with laughter - Sirius had already fallen out of his seat he was laughing so hard. Cygnus looked pained but was also chuckling. A few of the other families were either shocked or looking a little pained.

When Aberforth stepped away from the orb, he turned to Harry, placed a hand on his shoulder, and quietly said, "It's the least I can do for you, considering how much Albus screwed you over."

Not knowing what else to say, Harry simply said, "Thank you, My Lord."

Aberforth blinked in startlement for a moment before grinning and saying, "Now, I'm going back to my pub. I'm in the process of giving it a new lease on life. I may even call it 'The Lord's Hogshead'. Ha!" And walked out.

After the chamber was brought to silence again, Sir Kingston continued with calling Heads of Houses forward. Next came Edgecombe, Gudgeon and Higgs. The Fudge family, though it was due a title, was skipped due to the crimes of the former a were a great many other families.

Then, one of the moments Harry had been waiting for, Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Elder House of Lupin, Remus John Lupin, please come forward."

Remus, who thought he had been sitting there as a special guest of both Harry and Sirius, sat up in shock.

Harry and Amelia both looked up and waited for Remus to step down. The man didn't move.

Sirius called out, "Remus, you old wolf, that's you!"

"My Lord, Black; please!" said Sir Kingston.

Sirius didn't looked fazed at being chastised, one whit. He was having _way_ too much fun.

Remus still hadn't moved, so Harry walked across to just under the rail where Remus was sitting, and called, "Come on down, Professor Lupin."

Remus rose and descended the stairs in a daze. Harry led him over to the orb.

Harry held the parchment with the correct wording and softly said, "Come on, Uncle Moony; place your hand on the orb and read the words."

"But," said a stuttering Remus, "My father..."

"... was blocked because of his treatment of you," finished Harry. "Her Majesty did not take that well. Surprise!"

Remus placed his hand on the orb and read the oath, but still appeared to be in a daze.

Flash and gong. And Remus was invited up into the tiers to take one of the few remaining seats.

Next came Prewett, a cousin of Molly

Then Sir Kingston called, "The Head of the Elder House of Prince, Severus Tobias Snape, please come forward."

Proudly, Severus came down out of the Visitors Gallery. Harry was smiling at him as he gave the oath. Many were commenting on how the Potions Master 'seemed' to have developed the cure for lycanthropy and was a shoo-in for an Order of Merlin if the trials proved successful. The last full moon, only a week earlier, saw the first round of live trials on ten volunteers. All lived and, in almost all cases, the virus seemed to have been eliminated. Remus was one of those.

Then came Scrimgeour with the new Head of the DMLE, Rufus Scrimgeour, as heir.

And, finally, Weasley.

Arthur came down and proudly, but a little tentatively, approached the orb. He looked as if he felt he'd be tossed out any moment.

He gave the oath and the flash and gong sound signified it'd been accepted. He entered the tiers with one of the biggest smiles Harry had ever seen. Harry followed him up and took his own seat.

Once he'd taken Seat, Sir Kingston brought everyone to silence again before stating, "With only a few seats left to fill as we locate the true Heads of those Houses, Ladies and Gentlemen, we have here the Magical equivalent to the House of Lords. Congratulations to our new Peers. Revel in your elevation. But, be aware, we have a great deal of work to do.

"Lords and Ladies, Regents and Proxies, let's get to it, shall we?" he said before hesitating for a moment. "Scribe, please inform us on the first order of business before us."

The scribe stood and said, "Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Lords and Ladies, Regents and Proxies, the first order of business is the renunciation of those laws declared by Her Majesty to be discriminatory against other magical sentients and the mundane born. My Lord Royal Wizard!"

And the new House of Lords side of the new Magical Parliament got down to work.

# # #

The next morning, after a very long day and early evening sitting in chambers, Harry was sitting down to breakfast at the Slytherin table. He was clearly tired and many of the students decided not to harass the clearly tired young man.

Hedwig had just dropped him off the morning's copy of the _Daily Prophet_. Flicking it open he scanned through it. On the third page was a small story covering the death of Albus Dumbledore.

'Not the recognition the old fool would have hoped for,' he thought.

He read through and was amazed the details on the old man's death were still a matter of speculation. The only thing it got right was that Dumbledore was executed on the direct order of the Queen.

Reading down, Harry saw the last line.

_The details surrounding the death of Dumbledore, uncovered dark wizard, are still unclear. What is surprising is that, when questioned on the facts, Minister Longbottom, Lady Justice Bones, and even his brother, Lord Aberforth Dumbledore, all had only this to say, "It was For the Greater Good"._

He burst out laughing.

_Finite Incantem!_


	30. Author's Wind-up

Chapter 30 - Author's Wind-up

Throughout this journey upon which I've taken you, I've received a decent share from my readers of both charms and hexes. All verbal, of course. But, I really appreciated all of your remarks.

As some of you already know... and the rest of you are now being told... I'm a professional writer. I'm a Public Relations Consultant. So, I have always, until now, written factual works. This story is my first foray into 'published' fiction. And it's something I've thoroughly enjoyed.

In PR our 'coin of the realm' is feedback; just as it is with fanfiction. It's a highly valued commodity of my trade. So, when I receive it, I value it; no matter whether it be a bouquet or brick bat. So, to all of you who've taken the effort to write your review, no matter how short or long, I say, "Thank you!"

No matter what many may think, a critical review where you, as the author, get literarily creamed for your work, is sometimes actually a good thing. It gives us, as a writer, information which may aid us in improvement. Oft times a scathing review may prove of even greater value than a dozen reviews of praise.

However, I ask you to always temper your words to any fanfic author with this thought in mind: Would you welcome a scathing review where your reviewer's only contribution was to belittle you as the author rather than your works? Remember folks, play the ball, not the man. Ad hominem attacks belittle only yourself.

Just think about it.

# # #

Like all good things, even a fanfic must wind to a close. However, while this fanfic has ended, the story has not.

At the moment I'm currently working on two others. Yes, one's another HP fanfic. The other is a cross-over. But, I'm currently struggling with both.

I feel the story of Harry Potter and the Four Heirs has some way yet to go. While writing it I left in place a lot of material that can easily transfer, and make a significant impact upon, a sequel. I've not made a lot of use, for instance, of their animaguses; nor have I made much use of their significant depths of knowledge, both magical and mundane. This yet lays open to me.

So, will the story continue? Probably. However, it will be as a separate story similar to **robst**'s Fate's Gambit and it's sequel. This one will remain a stand-alone and not require you to keep coming back to check if it's been updated.

Because of the way I write I simply cannot post each chapter as it seems to complete. The reason is because I often find plot holes that need a previous chapter or chapters to be rewritten. In HP & the 4Fs there were no less than six I found where I had to rewrite significant parts of chapters to close them.

One example is where I completely forgot magical portraits in HP Canon and Fanon could speak. This meant I had to go back three chapters to rewrite the section where Harry first visited Potter Manor. If I had been publishing each chapter as it was written, I would have had to direct people to go back the three chapters to reread that particular one. Embarassing, or what?

So, you may not hear from me for a while. But, do not fear, I shall be writing. When you next hear from me I shall follow the same as this by posting, on average, a chapter every one to two days.

And, lastly, I once more give my everlasting thanks to the skills of **alix33**, a wonderful person who stepped up and offered to proofread for grammatical errors. I'm embarassed to say, she found quite a few.

Cheerio for now. :)

Sinyk


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